Rising From Ashes
by Lady Knight Katie of Masbolle
Summary: Lord Wyldon tells Kel that she is not allowed to return in the fall to continue training for knighthood. She's left reeling and trying to figure out how to move forward with her life when a stranger comes to her late one night with an offer she can't refuse. Follow Kel as she lives through eight years of training as Kaden of Mindelan. Will her secret stay safe?
1. Chapter 1

Two days later they returned to the palace, a quiet and weary group. They had packing to do, and one final supper in the mess hall. To the pages' surprise, they were joined by the Shang warriors and the men of the King's Own who had been on the hunt. They all stood by their seats, wondering why Lord Wyldon had not said the prayer and allowed them to sit.

The answer came when the king arrived. As he'd done on the first day of classes, he said nothing before they ate. He dined with Lord Wyldon, Lord Raoul, the two Shangs, and Captain Flyndan at Lord Wyldon's table. No pages were asked to wait on them. Servants performed that task while the pages and the men of the Own relaxed over their food. There was a treat, pies made from the first berry harvests of the summer. Only when they could eat no more did the king rise to stand at the lectern.

"You've had your time of fire," he told the pages quietly. "Lord Wyldon reports that you all did well."

Did he? Kel wondered tiredly. Or did he say the _boys_ did well?

The king went on, "I am glad not to have to tell your parents you will not be coming to help with the harvest."

Soft chuckles passed around the room. King Jonathan waited for them to fade.

"You and these warriors did important work, as bloody, dangerous, and frightening as it was. It is the kind of work knights must do in our modern age. You may get thanks only from me, but I hope you know the value of what you did. Go home, now. Laze in the sun and steal apples. Try not to get too out of practice. The realm needs your arms as strong, your hearts as steady, as when you faced those spidrens." He nodded to them and left so quickly that they were still trying to rise as the door closed behind him.

Lord Wyldon came to the lectern. "I know you all wish to pack. Get to it. Keladry of Mindelan, report to my office at the next bell."

"I'm sorry," whispered Merric. He got up awkwardly and fled the room.

"You saved my life," Seaver added, his voice cracking. He hugged her one-armed around the head as if she were one of the boys, and followed Merric out.

When none of her other friends moved, Kel forced herself to rise and pick up her tray. "Have a good summer," she whispered, and took her things to the servants for the last time.

She had thought she'd resigned herself to being packed off for good. From the way her food turned to a lump in her belly as she trudged back to her room, she hadn't done it was well as she thought.

There was a letter from her mother on her bed. With all the preparations needed for Kel's older sisters Adalia and Oranie to be presented when the court social season began that fall, her parents had come to stay at their Corus town house for the summer. They looked forward to seeing Kel there. As Kel read the letter, her gloom deepened. She could not stay in town with her parents and sisters. She might encounter people she knew from the palace. How could she live in the city, watching knights come and go, knowing she would never be one of them?

I'll ask them to send me home to Anders at Mindelan, she thought sadly. They'll understand. It was a good idea, but the thought of the 'I-told-you-so's' that her sisters-in-law would hurl at her made her cringe.

Her sparrows were nowhere to be seen as she entered her room. They had rejoined the flockmates who had stayed behind, whirling around the courtyard to celebrate their return. Now they chattered as they perched in the small tree in the courtyard.

"I'll miss you," whispered Kel. She would ask Daine if she could still take Peachblossom. With two daughters to present at court, her parents would be hard pressed to also buy a warhorse.

Thinking of the birds and Peachblossom, she felt her eyes sting with tears. I am _not_ going to let Lord Wyldon see I've been crying, Kel told herself. Fetching her glaive, she did a pattern dance to pass the time.

The dreaded bell finally rang. Kel put her glaive down, combed her hair, and washed her face. Then she walked to Lord Wyldon's office, feeling like a prisoner on the long walk to the gallows.

The servingman bowed to Kel, then opened the door and announced her. She entered the office, listening to the door as it closed at her back.

Lord Wyldon stood with his back to her, staring though a window that opened onto a palace rose garden. Was he looking at flowers, she wondered, or maybe at the nobles who walked there as the skies grew dark?

"You sent for me, my lord," she said.

Lord Wyldon sighed and turned. "Sit down, girl."

Kel hesitated, then sat.

Wyldon absently massaged his right arm. "I want you to listen to me. I speak to you as I would to _my_ daughters."

Kel blinked at him, startled. She supposed she knew that Lord Wyldon had a wife and family, but she had forgotten it. It was hard to imagine him with any life other than that of training master to the pages and squires.

"Now that you have made your point, consider the future. Soon your body will change. The things you want from life as a maiden will change. Pursue the course you have, and you might be crippled by an accident." He looked at his right arm and smiled crookedly. "What if you fall in love? What if you come to grief, or cause others to do so, because your thoughts were on your heart and not combat? This year was the easiest."

You think so? she asked him silently. It wasn't _your_ year, was it? She opened her mouth to reply.

"Not now," he said, raising his hand. "Do not answer me now. Go home and think about it." He sighed. "You are dismissed."

She had to hear him say it. "I can't come back, then."

The training master shook his head wearily. "No, Keladry. You are not allowed to return come fall."

Now Kel was _really_ confused. She stood, her knees trembling. "I can't return?"

Lord Wyldon nodded. "That is what I said. Good night, Keladry."

"Good night, Lord Wyldon."

Outside his office, she felt a wave of sorrow sweep over her. She turned and pressed her face against the cool stones of the wall.

Back in her room, she reread her mother's letter but tears in her eyes blurred the writing. She still wasn't sure what options were open to her now. Her mind was reeling and it was impossible to string two coherent thoughts together at the moment.

She threw down the letter and ran into the hall, trembling with suppressed sobs. "Neal!" she yelled as she pounded her fist on his door. He opened the door and held it to allow her into his room. He protested when she closed the door behind her. She shook her head. "Neal, it doesn't matter anymore. Lord Wyldon won't let me stay." The tears that had been swimming, unshed, in her eyes finally fell and Neal enveloped her into a bone crushing hug without a word.

They stayed in each other's embrace for sometime before Kel pulled away to wipe her eyes. Neal looked at her searchingly. "What are you going to do now?"

Kel shook her head. Her throat had constricted painfully. When she swallowed past the lump, she said, "I'm not sure yet. All I know is I can't stay here tonight. Word is bound to leak out soon, and I don't think I can stand the talk that's sure to follow." She didn't have to explain that it was what Joren and his cronies would say that she wanted to avoid the most. Neal understood completely.

Neal took her hands and squeezed them. "Kel," he started. She looked up and met his eyes. "Kel, you're still my best friend. If you ever need anything, please, come to me. And promise me something?" She gave him a quizzical look and he continued. "Don't stop fighting. Don't ever give up."

Kel squeezed his hands in return. "I promise."

* * *

Kel entered her parent's townhouse only two bells later, dripping wet. The storm that had been building all afternoon finally broke as she had made her way into town. To her surprise her mother met her as she came in. Ilane looked at her, then shook her head. "I'm still shocked by how much you grew this year. How much was it? Three inches?"

Kel nodded. "I'm five feet three inches tall now," she said. "Another inch and I'll catch up with Papa."

"He'll be delighted, poor man," said her mother teasingly. "Now, I think a bath and dinner is in order. After that we can talk with your father about what you'd like to do now."

Kel nodded mutely. She appreciated her mother's calm demeanor and common sense. It was exactly what she needed at the moment.

It was late when Kel knocked on the door to her father's study. She entered when she was bid and sat in a chair that faced the desk that Piers sat behind. Her mother came to take the chair next to Kel. Piers looked at her with sympathetic eyes. "Kel, your mother and I were sorry to hear of Lord Wyldon's declaration," he started. "However, you knew it was always a possibility that you would be unable to return in the fall."

"We just wanted to say that we are so proud of how well you did, regardless of what Lord Wyldon believes," Ilane added. "We know you did your best to prove yourself."

Kel gave them both a small smile of gratitude. It was nice to know that her parents weren't disappointed in her. It helped ease the knot of turmoil that had lodged itself in her chest.

"Without a doubt," Piers agreed with a nod. "But now we must discuss how you would like to proceed and what you wish to do now."

Both her parents looked at her and waited for an answer. Kel heaved an internal sigh. She still didn't know what she wanted to do with herself now, but there was one thing she did know. "I can't stay in the city," she said shakily. "There's too much of a chance I'll see somebody I know." She continued, "I think I would like to return to the Yamani Islands with you in six months. At least there I can get some more training. And perhaps after my fifteenth Birthday, I can return to join the Queen's Riders."

Piers nodded his understanding. "What will you do for the six months until we leave, if you won't remain in Corus with us?"

Kel bit her lip, undecided.

"You could go to the convent for that time," Ilane suggested softly.

There were tears in Kel's eyes as she shook her head vehemently. "I'd rather go home to Mindelan with Anders than go to the convent, Mama." She would rather endure the taunting I-told-you-so's her sisters-in-law would say rather than go to the convent, even for so short a time. She had promised Neal that she wouldn't give up, and leaving for the convent felt too much like running away with her tail between her legs.

"Well, I believe that's what you must do for the time being," Piers sighed. "I will talk to Harvey about renting a carriage to-"

Three heavy knocks on the front door to the townhouse made the occupants of the room sit still for a moment. Three more heavy knocks sounded as Piers lifted himself from his chair. She heard a maid's foot steps travel down the hall and to the door folllowed by muffled, undiscernible voices in the foyer.

Kel was confused. It was only two bells before midnight. _Who's knocking at the door so late? And in a thunderstorm no less,_ Kel thought to herself. She looked out the window to see rain lashing the glass panes.

The maid poked her head into the office where Kel and her parents were. "A visitor for you, Baron Piers," the woman said. It was clear that she was also confused by this guest's appearance at such a late hour.

"Send them in," Piers said. Ilane was on her feet now as well. The three of them watched as the study door opened to reveal the newcomer.

A flash of lightening lit the man's silhouette briefly. Kel saw he was tall and thin. He had a crooked nose that looked slightly too large for his face. His hair was a dark brown that lay plastered to his head from the rain. His hazel eyes were sharp and the smile that he gave them was relaxed. The man nodded to each of them. "Baron Piers, Baroness Ilane, Keladry. I'm sorry for intrudin' at such a late hour, but there's something important that I need to discuss with you all." The man's voice was a light baritone and held a trace of a city lilting accent.

Kel looked back to her father, still confused. She still had no idea who this man was and the fact that he knew who she was unsettled her. However, her parents seemed to know the stranger. Piers moved forward to grip the man's hand in a shake before saying, "Baron Cooper. How can we help you?"

The man thanked Ilane who offered him the chair next to Kel's as he sat. _Cooper. Baron Cooper. Where have I heard that name before?_ Kel wondered to herself. Ilane went to stand behind Piers who had resumed his seat behind his desk.

It finally hit her and she jumped from her seat. "Baron Cooper? As in Baron George Cooper? The Lioness's husband?" Kel squeaked.

George chuckled and patted the chair, indicating that she should sit. "The very same."

Kel did as he bid and sat, trembling from head to toe. This man sitting calmly next to her, who addressed her by her name, was her hero's husband; and a legend in his own right. _Stone,_ Kel thought futilely. _I am stone._

"I was just informed of Lord Wyldon's refusal to allow Keladry to continue her knighthood training," George said, eyes intent on Kel. "Lass, have you thought about what you want to do now?"

Kel thought she saw a mischievous glint in the man's eyes as he waited for her reply. "Well, my lord-"

George let out a bark of laughter before saying, "I work for a living, please just call me George." He inclined his head toward Ilane and Piers to extend the offer to them as well.

Kel was flabbergasted. The Lioness's husband wanted her to call him by his first name! "We had just decided that I was to return to Mindelan for six months before going to the Yamani Islands to continue training until I could join the Queen's Riders."

George looked from Piers, to Ilane, then back at Kel with a thoughtful expression. "If there were a way for you to continue training for knighthood, if Lord Wyldon's declaration wouldn't keep you from resuming your training, would you take the chance?"

Ilane and Piers were giving him questioning glances.

Kel looked at him incredulously. "Of course. I would do anything to continue to train for my shield, but Lord Wyldon made it clear that I wasn't to return in the fall. I don't think you'd be able to make him change his mind, and I doubt the king would over rule his decision."

George was grinning as he replied, "True, on all counts. But I needed to make sure that knighthood wasn't just a passing fancy for you before I make you this offer." George looked to her parents and said, "If this offer goes against your wishes, I apologize before hand. I don't mean to encourage Keladry to do anything against your wishes, however, this is something my lass and I have been considering for a while. Ever since we learned the terms of her probation, actually."

"Keladry makes her own decisions," her father replied after exchanging a look with his wife. "She knows we will support her in whatever endeavor she pursues."

George nodded at Piers and returned to looking at Kel. The mischievous spark was clearly visible in his hazel eyes now. "Well, lass, you know how Alanna achieved her knighthood, yes?" Kel could only nod dumbly. "We want to offer to help you achieve your knighthood in the same fashion."

Kel was having trouble breathing. Return to the palace in disguise as a boy to continue her knighthood training? She desperately wanted her shield, but could she lie to everyone to get it? Lying was dishonorable, but would that dishonor be worth it when she could roam and help people as a knight of the realm? Would they take her shield when her secret was discovered, for they would certainly find out at some point? Alanna had been allowed to keep her shield after she was discovered, certainly she would be allowed to keep hers as well?

"George, your offer is generous indeed," Piers said quietly. "However, I think Kel needs some time to consider it in it's entirety. Could we contact you with her decision-"

"I'll do it," Kel's voice was calm and strong. "I'll hate lying to everyone, but if I can help people after I win my shield, it would be worth it."

Piers and Ilane shared a smile. They couldn't be more proud of their daughter if they tried.

George smiled at Kel and rose from his chair. "Alanna will be happy to hear that you agreed. If it's alright with Baron Piers and Baroness Ilanne, I'll come to collect you and your belongings and take you to Pirate's Swoop the day after tomorrow." Again George inclined his head towards Kel's parents. At their return nod George added, "I'll be in contact with more information about Keladry's backstory and whatever she might need. I don't think I need to remind you all to tell no one of this arrangement."

Piers met George's eyes calmly, his Yamani mask in place once again. "No indeed. We know what is at stake."

George nodded and walked to the door before saying over his shoulder, "Goddess bless, lady page."


	2. Chapter 2

Two days after George had come with his offer, Kel sat on her bed contemplating about what else she should pack. George had slipped her a note saying that they would be slipping out of the city that night after sunset. Anything that would distinguish her as Keladry of Mindelan had to remain at her parents' town house. She looked longingly at her glaive that rested on the wall. She wouldn't be allowed to take it with her this time. For clothes all she had were breeches, shirts, and tunics. She wouldn't need any of her dresses. She debated whether or not to store her lucky Yamani waving cats at the bottom of her pack, just to keep them close. Eventually she decided against it, and stored them in their box under her bed.

Kel felt a wave of regret sweep over her. She was leaving everything she was behind to make a new identity for herself. Did she really want to do this?

Kel shook her head to clear it. Of course she really wanted to do this. It was the only way she was going to become a knight after all. And once she was a knight, she could go off and help people like she always dreamed of doing. Leaving her life behind her and making a new identity for herself would be worth it if she could win her shield. She tied her packs and carried them downstairs and laid them to rest by the back door. Then she went to say good bye to her parents.

Kel slipped out of the back door and down into a dark alley once the sun set. She navigated the twists and turns of the alleys until she found herself at the Dancing Dove. George was lounging in the shadows to the side of the building waiting for her. He turned and led her to the stables set behind the inn. She followed him without a word. He gestured towards a small mare who stood in her stall already tacked up.

The horse was a nondescript brown with no noticeable markings. The tack was the same; worn brown leather, common enough to not draw unwanted attention. Kel shot a glance at George as she tied her packs to the saddle. His gelding and tack was as common looking as hers.

She led the mare out of the stall and followed George out into the street and mounted up. Kel pulled the hood of her cloak over her head and tighter around her shoulders. The two riders made their way out of the city. Kel paused when she was at the top of a rise outside the city. The next time she saw Corus, she would no longer be Keladry. _Well,_ she thought to herself as she turned to follow George once more, _there's no turning back now._

* * *

The ride to Pirate's Swoop took them four days to complete. Well, four nights really. George and Kel would travel by the light of the moon, making swift progress on the empty roads. Then after sunrise they would find a hidden copse of trees to tend their mounts, eat, and rest before setting off again at sunset.

During their flight from Corus, George began to tell her about her new identity. Her new name was to be Kaden, and in fact, that was how George referred to her the entire ride. He assured her that the more she heard it, the more natural it would feel. She was still going to be of Mindelan, posing as one of her uncle's children. This would make it so she wouldn't have to remember to lie about where she was from, preventing possible slips of the tongue.

"The thing to remember about creating a convincing backstory, or lying in general, is to keep it simple," George told her that last night as they rode. "The simpler the tale, the more likely it is to be believed. This whole charade rests on our hope that Wyldon doesn't know your uncle well enough to become suspicious. And personally, I doubt he'll become suspicious at all. Your uncle is reclusive and hasn't been to court in over twenty years. Not to mention the Mindelan clan is known for being one of the largest family trees in Tortall. It'll come at no surprise that there are other children from Mindelan that want to train."

Kel only nodded, she was trying to absorb everything she was being told. She could start to see the outline of a great stone castle and wall in the distance. _This must be Pirate's Swoop_ , she thought. _I can't believe I'm going to the Lioness's home!_ She chided herself for losing focus and turned her attention back to the baron.

"Now while you're here, I'll be helping you to rehearse your story until it becomes second nature to you. Alanna, will be going over things like how to fake puberty. We have two months until you need to reappear in Corus. I've told your parents to let it slip that you've gone to Mindelan, if anyone asks."

Kel nodded again and they rode the rest of the way in silence.

* * *

It was only a bell or two past dawn when Kel was awoken by shouting. She tried to bury her face into her pillow, but it was no use. The body-less voices were still screeching. Kel got out of bed and washed her face and teeth with a bowl of water a servant had left for her the night before. She pulled on clean breeches, shirt, and tunic and pulled a brush through her hair before exiting her room.

Kel followed the voices until it led her to the dining room. A young boy and girl sat at the table shouting about something or other. Kel wasn't sure of what they were arguing, she was still too groggy to figure it out. Both boy and girl had strawberry blond hair and mischievous hazel eyes.

She was still standing in the door way when she heard a woman shout somewhere behind her. "Alan! Aly! Stop this nonsense this instant! Your father just got back last night and he's trying to sleep." Kel turned around as the owner of the voice approached her. Her eyes went wide as she noticed the fiery red hair and unusual purple eyes.

The Lioness was wearing a look of irritation at her two children. When she saw Kel she stopped in her tracks. "Keladry of Mindelan?" she asked. Kel could only nod. Alanna's eyes flashed with anger, her red face clashing with her hair.

Kel was terrified. Perhaps the Lioness was mad at her for being here?

"Lass, you're scaring the poor girl," said George as he placed a hand on Alanna's shoulder. "Perhaps we should go to the study." Alanna spun on her heels and stomped away. George turned his smile to Kel. "Don't worry about her, she's not upset at you. Shall we?" He motioned for her to walk with him. "Sorry for the rude awakening. Sometimes it feels like I live in a menagerie."

Kel chuckled as she remembered feeling the same way while living with her own nieces and nephews.

They entered the study to see Alanna staring out of the window, clenching her fists. George closed the door behind them before moving to his desk to tidy papers. He seemed to be waiting for Alanna to start the conversation. She didn't keep them waiting.

"I'm not angry at you, Keladry," Alanna said. Her voice was calm even if she still looked like she could murder somebody. "I've heard plenty of people compliment your abilities. You excel in staff, lance, and hand-to-hand combat, you're competent with a bow and a sword, your academic studies are commendable, and you're a fine hand with a horse. No, I'm not disappointed in you at all. I'm furious with Cavall for turning you away when anyone with eyes can see that you're just as good as those boys."

Kel couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her long time hero was standing right next to her, complimenting her, and feeling furious because she was unjustly dismissed. _I am stone. Stone. Be as stone,_ Kel repeated to herself. It wasn't working. Her Yamani mask was terribly close to slipping.

"However, your presence here tells me that you've accepted our offer of help," Alanna continued as she looked a Kel critically. Kel could only nod, her mouth was too dry to speak. Alanna sighed. "Well then Kaden, we have two months to prepare you for life as a boy page. There's no time to waste."


	3. Chapter 3

Seven weeks later, Kel found herself standing face to face with Lord Wyldon once more. Piers stood next to her, playing the part of uncle this time. Kel maintained her interested expression as she purposely looked around the room, pretending to be curious. This was all part of being Kaden. George had told her that she must let go of her Yamani ways which included her mask. She had to learn to show emotions, and especially emotions that she didn't feel. She had to play Kaden perfectly, otherwise Wyldon will get suspicious and she'll get caught before her journey even started.

"Another Mindelan, I see," Lord Wyldon said, studying Kel and her father. "Please sit, both of you."

"Yes, Lord Wyldon. May I present to you my nephew, Kaden?" Piers said as they sat.

Kel bowed eastern style before she sat. Wyldon nodded curtly in response. "Welcome to the palace Kaden. You will work hard while you're here. Mornings you train in the combat arts, while afternoons are spent in classroom studies. In your father's and uncle's time, the royal household always dined in the banquet hall. Now our royal family dines privately for the most part. On great holidays and on special occasions, feasts are held with the sovereigns, nobles, and guests in attendance. The pages are required to serve at such banquets. Also, you are required to run errands for any lord or lady who asks." He ran a finger down a piece of paper. "Mindelan, Mindelan, Mindelan," Wyldon muttered. "I have no Mindelans registered for this upcoming training year."

Piers nodded and produced a roll of parchment from a pocket in his traveling cloak. "That would be because Jacques forgot to send it," Piers explained and handed over the scroll.

"That's not a problem, this sort of thing happens more often than you would think. Thank you for bringing it with you." Wyldon took the offered scroll and scanned it quickly. "It says you claim no magical Gift," stated Lord Wyldon. "Is that so?"

Kel jumped a little to feign surprise at being addressed before she responded, "Yes, my lord."

"Has he a servant with him?" he asked Piers.

"No," Piers replied.

"Very well. Palace staff will tend his rooms. Have you any questions?" Wyldon asked Kel.

"No, my lord," she said with a shake of her head. She indeed had several questions bouncing around in her mind, the most prominent being why had he refused to allow her to return. But she kept it to herself. There was no way for her to ask without arousing suspicion.

"There is a chamber across the hall for your farewells," Wyldon told Piers. "Salma will come for Kaden and guide him to his assigned room. No doubt his baggage is already there." He looked at Kel. "Unpack your things neatly. When the supper bell rings, stand in the hall with the new boys. Sponsors must be chosen before we go down to the mess."

Piers and Kel rose from their seats about to leave Wyldon's office when he stopped Piers. "I apologize for having to send you the letter describing Keladry's dismissal," he said slowly. "I hope she has found another venture to pursue."

Piers stood with his hand on Kel's shoulder and nodded. "She has decided to return to the Yamani Islands with us. I believe she aspires to continue her training there."

Wyldon paused for a moment before replying, "Good. I wish her luck."

"I will pass on your regards," Piers assured him before steering Kel out of the training master's office.

* * *

Kel listened to Salma's speech about what the servants do and do not do for the pages. She made sure to nod in all of the right places and look around wide eyed with interest. In no time at all, Salma led Kel to her room, which happened to be the same room she had had before. Kel noticed that the printed name Kaden had not been wiped from the slate. Salma gave her the key and turned to leave after reminding Kel to be standing in the hall with the other pages at the next bell.

Kel entered her room to find that it was exactly as she had left it. Unlike a year ago, her packs sat closed at the end of her bed, no furniture had been upended, and the draperies and wall hangings were still in place. She sighed in relief and went to change into clean breeches, shirt, and tunic.

Once changed, Kel looked at herself in the mirror. She still wasn't used to seeing the changes Alanna had made to her appearance. Her brown hair had been cut so short that it spiked out at all angles. It had also been lightened to more closely resemble the shade of brown that was her father's and uncle's hair color. Her eyes were colored a blue-gray now, like her aunt's eyes. She had also been given her uncle's broad nose. Her freckles were hidden from view. Kaden certainly looked at least related to Keladry, but it was a boy's face Kel looked at in the mirror now.

She tucked the chain and bear claw pendent into her shirt. The pendent held the spells Alanna had used to change Kel's appearance. As long as she wore the necklace, she would look as Kaden was supposed to look. There should be no suspicion of a page wearing a necklace such as this. And just in case of emergency, Alanna had spelled three spare pendents and taught Kel how to pronounce the word that would activate the magic.

Kel left the privy to unpack her belongings. She put her clothes away first. Then she went to unpack her decorative belongings. It felt odd placing random knickknacks around the room, but George had explained that a room empty of any personal affects would look strange to anyone who entered. The bell clanged when she had placed the last book just so on her mantle.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself and remind herself to act like a curious first year, she opened the door to stand in the hall.

Lord Wyldon was walking down the corridor towards her and the other first years. Her eyes darted to the pages she recognized. She picked out Neal, Cleon, Prince Roald, Merric, as well as Joren and Garvey.

Eventually Lord Wyldon came to a stop before them. One of the new pages bowed and Kel followed their lead. Wyldon looked at each new page before giving them his speech on hard work and what is to be expected of them. He pointed to a new page and asked, "Your name and the holding of your family."

"Owen, Owen of Jesslaw, my lord," the plump boy replied.

"Who will sponsor Owen?" Wyldon demanded.

"May I, my Lord?" Prince Roald asked as he raised his hand.

Wyldon nodded his approval and the prince went to stand next to the new boy. Wyldon then turned to Kel. "Your name and your fief?" he asked.

Kel gulped. She didn't have to remember to act nervous, she already was. "K-Kaden of Mindelan, my lord," Kel stammered.

She saw many of the pages turn their eyes on her and study her closely. There was an awkward silence that stretched until Wyldon broke it. "Who will sponsor him?"

Several hands shot into the air. After Merric and Cleon shared a look at Neal, they put their hands down. "I was his cousin's page sponsor, and so I wish to keep with the tradition, my lord," Neal drawled.

"Very well, Page Nealan. You are his sponsor," Wyldon said after taking a deep breath.

Neal came to stand beside her and laid a hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture.

Kel's heart was aching to tell him, to tell all her friends, what she was attempting, but she knew she couldn't. The fewer amount of people who knew, the better. Kel returned her attention to Wyldon and made sure to play the part of a wide eyed first year.

When the last page was sponsored, Wyldon dismissed them all for dinner and led the way down the corridor. All the other pages followed him, except Kel and Neal.

Neal was looking at her closely, studying her. His emerald eyes held sadness as they regarded her. "As you heard me say earlier, I was your cousin, Keladry's page sponsor. I feel that the least I could do is sponsor you since she can't. I'm Neal, Neal of Queenscove." He offered his hand.

She took it and shook it. "Kaden. Kel wrote to me about you. It's nice to meet you."

"Are you two close? I don't remember her talking of you," Neal said as they started towards the mess hall.

Kel shook her head. She was grateful that George had spent so much time preparing her story. "We were close until aunt and uncle took her and her siblings to the Islands. We only wrote a little bit. I was curious about page training."

They had reached the mess hall and stood in the serving line. None of the other pages even glanced in her direction. _How different this is from last year_ , Kel thought to herself, as she made a big show of watching and copying Neal as he went through the line. He then led her over to the table they and their friends had claimed for themselves last year. She sat next to Neal and waited for Lord Wyldon to deliver the blessing. Once he was finished, she dug into her tray.

"Kaden, these are my friends Roald, Cleon, Faleron, Merric, Seaver, and Esmond," said Neal.

Kel nodded to each boy as he was introduced.

Roald was looking at her intently. "Have you heard from Kel recently?" he asked. The boys were giving her their undivided attention. It gave her a rush of warmth to know that her friends were concerned for her.

She shook her head. "Not recently, Highness. I only saw her in passing at Mindelan before I left to come here," she explained.

"Do you know what she's planning on doing now?" Neal wanted to know.

"Uncle Piers and Aunt Ilane are taking her with them to the Yamani Islands in a few months. I think she's planning on continuing her training there," she said with a shrug.

Neal nodded his satisfaction and went back to eating. Kel was surprised to see that he was indeed eating his vegetables. She bit into a roll to hide her smile.

"Who are you talking about?" Owen asked the prince.

"Kel, Keladry of Mindelan. She was the first girl to attempt page training after my father ruled that girls could try for their shield," Roald explained. "She was a friend of ours. Lord Wyldon sent her away at the end of her first year."

"But why did he send her away?" Owen asked. "Was she not keeping up in the training?"

Neal scoffed at him. "Hardly. She was better than any of us at staff and lance, and kept up in other areas just fine," he said running a hand through his hair. "I think the Stump didn't have a reason honestly. Unless she told you why."

His last statement was directed at her. She shook her head. "She didn't say anything of it to me."

"The Stump?" Owen asked.

Neal's eyes glinted as he explained, "Our nickname for Lord Wyldon. He's so stiff, so we call him the Stump." The other boys at the table chuckled and nodded in agreement.

Neal turned to Kel. "Well, if you've finished I could give you a quick tour before lights out," he offered.

Kel nodded and followed him to give her tray to the serving staff.

Once Kel was back in her rooms she made sure to lock the door before laying back on the bed. After seven weeks of diligent planning and she was finally here. Kel was feeling completely overwhelmed as she thought about the task that loomed ahead of her. How was she going to keep this up for the next eight years of her life?

Kel shook her head to clear it. She couldn't think like that. She needed to stay optimistic. "Great Mother Goddess, calm my mind and heart. Give me the strength and courage I need to fulfill my dream. So mote it be."


	4. Chapter 4

Kel awoke and struggled out of bed at the first gray light of the pre-dawn. After her first night at Pirate's Swoop, pre-dawn was the time she had been expected to rise and get ready for the day. Mostly for her body to acclimate. It was extremely important that she was awake and dressed before the servants came with water in the morning.

She looked down at her wrinkled clothes and frowned. She had forgotten to change into her night clothes last night. She grabbed clean clothes and went to her dressing room to change.

Before she pulled on her clean shirt she took care to straighten and adjust the special corset she wore. It ran the full length of her torso and stopped just above her hips, meant to bind her chest flat as her breasts grew. She didn't think it was needed yet, but Alanna had insisted it was better to wear it now.

"Sometimes girls don't notice that their bodies are changing until it's pointed out to them, and by then it would be too late for you," Alanna explained as she had showed Kel how to lace it up tight. "Best to wear it now and get used to moving in it."

Kel pulled on her shirt, followed by her tunic, and made sure to tuck her necklace underneath her shirt before leaving the dressing room. She made sure to unlock her door so the servant could enter when the bell rang. When she was ready she started her morning exercises.

When the bell did finally ring, she was surprised to see Gower's gloomy expression. He seemed even more gloomy now than he was before. He placed the water on her desk before turning to her and saying, "I'm Gower. I'm to look after you. If you need anything, you come to me and I'll get it for you. Within reason of course."

"Thank you, Gower," she said. She waited for him to stoke the fire in the hearth and leave before she took the water to her dressing room and washed up. Once she was finished, she locked her room and headed to the mess hall, where Neal had told her to meet him.

She was standing in the serving line waiting for her turn when someone pushed her into the wall. She rubbed the spot on her head that had connected with the wall and looked up to see Joren glaring at her. He was just as beautiful as she remembered; his blond hair still long and his blue eyes still cold. "Your cousin made a mistake showing her face around here," he sneered. "Now that she's gone, I find myself in need of a new practice dummy." He shoved her again and took her place in the serving line with a smile on his lips.

She sighed, and resigned, went to the end of the serving line to wait her turn once more.

Finally she set her tray down across from Neal's at their table. "I saw Joren confront you," Neal said to her. "I can't say I'm surprised that he's decided to target you. Kel gave him a hell of a time. She went on an anti-bullying campaign last year. Gave him a collection of nasty bruises and more punishment work than anyone needs. He's probably going to try to pull the same routines on you."

"Anti-bullying campaign?" Kel asked, feigning confusion.

Neal nodded. "We would walk the halls to make sure Joren and his cronies weren't picking on any first years beyond what was acceptable," he said before taking a bite of porridge. "You were told of the 'earning your way' custom?" Kel nodded. "Well Joren and his accomplices will ask you to do something under the pretense of upholding tradition. Then they'll add a bit of pain to it for fun."

"Do you all have plans to keep the anti-bullying campaign going?" she asked, genuinely curious.

Neal nodded. "In a couple of days, once we get used to the schedule again, we plan on starting back up."

"Count me in," she said eagerly.

"Well then Kaden, welcome to the study group," Neal said with a smile.

After breakfast, Neal took Kel to the palace tailors for her clothes. She already knew that all they would do is snake a knotted cord around her, and without asking her to remove her clothes. Just because she already knew this, didn't mean it didn't make her nervous. She hid it behind a mask of embarrassment. She was given her uniforms and boots and coats and she and Neal lugged them to her room where she deposited them on her bed.

Neal then took her for a tour of the palace. He showed her the classrooms, indoor practice courts, the men's bath house, and any other points of interest. The he took her outside and showed her the outdoor practice courts, stables, and gardens. She kept a politely interested expression on her face.

 _Definitely one of the worst things as having to pretend to be a first year again_ , she decided as she climbed into bed that night, _i_ _s having to remember to act like I don't know anything yet_.

The next morning was the same as the one before. Kel woke and rose before the sun to dress in her special corset and practice clothes. She double checked her necklace, then started her morning set of press ups, sit ups, and flexibility exercises. Gower came with hot water and left after stoking the flames in her hearth back to life. She washed and went to the mess hall to meet Neal and their other friends for breakfast.

She was grateful that Joren left her alone this morning as she ate her breakfast and copied Neal's groggy, unhappy, morning grumbling. Kaden was not a morning person, even if Keladry was. Kel felt like she had two people living inside of her. Trying to remember who said, did, and liked what was difficult and she had to be extremely careful. She hoped that it would get better the longer she acted as Kaden.

Finally it was time to head to the practice courts.

Kel had to keep her expression curious as she recognized Hakuin Seastone, the Shang Horse, and Eda Bell, the Shang Wildcat standing in the first court. Their eyes passed over her, taking no longer to study her than they did the other pages. They hadn't recognized her. She let out an internal sigh.

Eda went to start the older pages on the first pattern of punches and blocks as she had the year before.

Hakuin told Kel and the other first years that their first lesson was to learn how to fall. He demonstrated by falling and smacking the ground before surging to his feet again. Kel had to keep from rolling her eyes at the winces these new first years gave when they saw the dust cloud Hakuin had knocked into the air, just as the boys had done last year.

When he was back on his feet, Hakuin offered a hand to a boy named Prosper and tossed the boy over his hip. Prosper managed to fall and hit the ground as Hakuin had shown them, albeit sloppily. Next was Owen who slapped the ground too late.

This continued until Hakuin held his hand out for Kel to take. Mentally Kel was preparing to feel the tug and telling her body to go with it. The tug came and she was thrown over his hip. She smacked the dirt and sprung up in a perfect fall.

Hakuin regarded her for a moment then said, "Nicely done, Kaden." He then continued instructing the first years.

It seemed like hours later when the pages went to the next court for staff practice. Kel had had to remind herself to mess up a couple falls so as to not appear too well taught. Falling incorrectly and gaining bruises for her trouble did not put Kel in a good mood. She grabbed a staff and lined up as Sergeant Ezeko told them to.

This time he called on Faleron and Roald as an example. Kel pretended to be captivated by the older page's practice bout. Eventually, Ezeko told them to start practicing with their partners.

Kel turned to her partner, the cheerful and exuberant Owen. His brown curls were everywhere and his gray eyes were shinning. His happy attitude was infectious and Kel gave him a small smile in return. Owen was a good partner, if a little uncoordinated.

Kel hated that she had to act like she was beginner, but she knew that if this whole scheme was going to work it was necessary. She let Owen hit her fingers twice over the extent of the exercise.

Eventually Wyldon joined the pages in the court and he and Ezeko walked up and down the line of pages as they had the year before. Kel made sure to misplace her hands so her grip would be changed. And it was. Wyldon and Ezeko didn't ignore Kaden as they had Keladry.

Eventually Wyldon called for a change of partners, older pages to pair with a younger page. She stood still and made herself look unsure as many of the other first years were looking around uneasily. Once everyone had partners again, Wyldon called for them to resume.

Kel looked up at the dark eyes and proudly arched nose of Zahir. The breath left her body and she had to remember how to breathe again. She reminded herself that if she were new, she wouldn't know that Zahir was a friend of Joren's. She put a concentrated look on her face and immersed herself in the drill. All she could do was hope that he didn't try anything. If he did, she would have to let him beat her. There was no way she could fight back with out revealing that she was more practiced than anyone realized.

But Kel didn't have to worry. Zahir stuck to the drill, however, striking with more force than strictly needed. The bruised knuckles she received from him were more painful than Owen's by far, but she was relieved those were the only beatings she took.

Kel was grateful when the bell rang instructing the pages to gather at the archery yards. Here was one place that Kel didn't really have to try to cover her proficiency. She was never a skilled archer to begin with. So now her normal abilities placed her in good standing with the archery master. She enjoyed not having to hide her abilities in at least one area. It had been Alanna's idea not to hide her archery skills.

"If Kaden seems too proficient with the same weapons as Keladry did, it might look suspicious," Alanna had explained to her. "Make sure you look like a beginner with the staff and the lance. You'll have to make the same mistakes as your classmates in the beginning. I know it'll be frustrating, but a few months of acting will be worth avoiding the suspicion. I don't think you need to act with your archery skills though. Not having natural ability with at least one weapon would also look suspicious. And you can always struggle with the lance at first but seem to learn it and take to it quickly."

George had nodded and added, "It'll be especially important that you hide your staff training, and make sure that you do no Yamani moves. Your uncle and cousins didn't go to the Islands with you and your parents. They will have not had the training you had there."

Suddenly a bell brought Kel out of her reverie and Wyldon barked, "Riding! New boys pick a mount from the spares."

Kel started running to the stables with her other yearmates. She was relieved when no one tried to block her way this time.

After reaching the stables she took a quick look around before making her way to a placid looking black mare with white socks. The horse comes to the front of the stall and starts to smell the hand Kel holds out for her to sniff. Kel pulls out an apple she had taken at breakfast and gives it to the mare. She takes it daintily from Kel's hand and munches it.

When Kel turned to grab the mare's tack from the wall, she finds herself being scrutinized by one large calculating brown eye. Her breath catches when the strawberry roan gelding snorts at her as if asking her what she thinks she's doing. She gives herself a mental shake and goes to collect her mare's tack. Apparently Daine had been unable to buy Peachblossom like Kel had asked her to a few months ago. Of course she would have loved to choose Peachblossom again. She missed her ornery gelding, but there was no way she could pick him without raising suspicion. She was just glad that he hadn't thrown a bigger fit after recognizing her.

The answer to that conundrum ambled up to the stall she was inside, tacking up her new horse. Stefan looked at her intently, his eyes slightly bulging. He nodded to the mare. "She'll do well for ye," he said. "Her name's Beauty. A sweeter horse ye'll never meet."

Kel nodded to Stefan and said quietly, "Thank you, Master Groomsman." Stefan just nodded and moved along to the next stall. Kel let out a breath she didn't realize she had held. Stefan didn't show any signs of recognizing her, even though he knew exactly who she was. He had ties to George, how they found themselves working together, Kel still didn't understand, but he was one of the people she was supposed to seek if she needed help and who would be keeping an eye out for her.

Once Beauty was saddled, Kel waited for Wyldon to inspect her mount and tack. He nodded his approval before turning and announcing the pages should walk their mounts to the riding ring.

Riding class was much the same as before; mostly consisting of showing the riding master their horsemanship skills. Beauty was much more obedient than Peachblossom ever was, and Kel thoroughly enjoyed the easy going mare. This was another class Kel could let her natural abilities shine through. Boys her age were expected to have some experience with horses already, so it wouldn't be suspicious at all if she happened to have a natural hand with a horse.

The class ended an hour later and Kel found herself following Neal out of the stables after taking care of her horse and tack. What came next would be one of the most difficult hurdles she would have to face; the men's baths. She kept running over her plan as she followed Neal to the men's bathhouse.

Once inside she paused. It was exactly as George had described; exactly the same as the ladies' baths. A deep sunken pool in the center of the floor was filled with water and served as a communal bath. Some of the pages were already stripped down and soaking.

There were chambers that branched off the main chamber which held individual tubs where men could bathe in privacy provided with curtains. Those she would come back to use once she was alone.

What she was most happy to see was the line of wash basins, water pitchers, and cloths that lined the far wall. These are what she would use on a daily basis. She was even happier to see that she was not the only page who opted for this form of cleansing. Neal, the prince, Owen, Faleron, and Cleon were all standing at a basin and using a cloth to wipe their faces and under arms.

She quickly moved to followed their lead, careful to act as comfortable with the situation as possible. The hardest challenge for her was to control her blush when ever she caught an eyeful of naked man. She couldn't react. She kept her mind focused on her task and tried to ignore the men around her.

She breathed an internal sigh of relief when she managed to leave the bathhouse without blowing her cover. No one had even given her a second glance. Now she trudged up the hill towards the pages wing to change out of her training clothes and into her page uniform. Neal had already left ahead of her and said he would see her at lunch.

"Hey! You!" a male voice cried from the direction of the kitchens. "Come back with those sausages!"

A cook raced out of the kitchen, waving a meat cleaver. Empty beanpoles, stripped after the harvest, went flying as he crashed through them. Metal flashed as the cleaver chopped through the air. The man doubled back and ran on, plainly chasing something far smaller than he.

The dog he pursued raced towards Kel. A string of fat sausages hung from his jaws. With a last burst of speed the animal ducked behind Kel.

The cook charged them, cleaver raised. "I'll kill you this time!" He screeched, face crimson with fury.

Kel put her hands on her hips. "Me or the dog?"

"Out of the way page!" he snarled, circling to her left. "He's stolen his last meal!"

As she turned to keep herself between the man and his prey, Kel glanced behind her. The dog huddled by her seat gobbling his catch.

"Stop right there," Kel ordered the man.

"Move or I will report this to my lord Wyldon," he snapped. "I'll get that mongrel good and proper!"

Kell gathered the dog and sausages up in her arms. "You'll do no such thing", she retorted. The dog, knowing what was important, continued to gorge.

"You will hand that animal over right now, my lad, if you know what's right" the servant told her. "He's naught but a thieving stray. He's got to be stopped."

"With a meat cleaver?" demanded Kel.

"If that's what it takes"

"No," she said flatly. "No killing. I'll see to it the dog doesn't steal from you."

"Sausages is worth money! Who's to pay for them? Not me!"

Kel reached instinctively for her belt and sighed, impatient with herself. She didn't wear her purse with training clothes. "Go to Salma Aynnar, in charge of the pages' wing," she said loftily. "Tell her Kaden of Mindelan requests that she pay you the cost of these sausages from my pocket money. And you'd better not overcharge her," she added.

"Oh, Mithros's shield. Being softhearted will do you no good, lad," he informed her. "Be sure I'll get my money. And if I see that animal here again," he pointed at Kel's armful- "I'll chop him up for cat meat, see if I won't!"

He thrust his cleaver into his belt and stomped back to the kitchens, muttering. Kel adjusted her hold on the dog and his prize and headed for the pages' wing. "We aren't allowed pets, you know," she informed her passenger. "With my luck all those sausages will make you sick, and I'll have to clean it up."

She passed through an open door into the cool stone halls of the palace. As she trotted along, she examined her armful.

The dog's left ear was only a tatter. He was grey-white for the most part; black splotches adorned the end of his nose, his only whole ear, and his rump. The rest of him was scars, healing scrapes, and staring ribs. His sausages eaten, he looked up into her face with two small, black triangular eyes and licked her. His tail, broken in two places and healed crookedly, beat her arm.

"I am not your friend," Kel said as she reached her door. "I don't even like you. Don't get attached." She placed the dog on the floor so she could open her door. She half expected him to run off, but he didn't. The dog just stayed and beat his tail on the floor as he looked up at her. She opened her door and the dog invited himself in and promptly jumped onto her bed. Kel just shook her head and proceeded to change into her page uniform.

Once she came out of the dressing room, she found the dog fast asleep on her blankets. She decided to leave him. She would ask Neal directions to Daine's room and see if she could take him.

Kel left her room and locked it before hurrying along to lunch.

The rest of her day flew by. Her classes continued just as they had the year before except for Tortallan Law and Etiquette.

In Myles' class the material had stayed the same. However, when she managed to catch Myles' eye midway through his class, she saw the knowing gleam that flashed in them. As Stefan was the person she would go to for help with anything relating to outdoor training, Myles was the person she would seek for anything that she needed revolving around classwork.

She was glad that he was able to act that all was normal. Then she laughed internally. She shouldn't worry about Myles' ability to keep quiet. Alanna had told her that Myles had suspected her for years and yet managed to act as if he knew nothing of it. No, there was nothing to worry about. Both of her contacts should have no problem keeping quiet.

Master Oakbridge's class was also the same material. Except this time, Kel would have to sit through learning of the Yamani culture, and courtly etiquette that goes with it, instead of teaching it. As in her staff class, this was another area where she would have to feign ignorance. She hated having to pretend she had no experience, but Alanna had been right. It was better to sit through some frustration for a few months if it meant avoiding suspicion and the possibility of revealing her secret.

After dinner, Kel returned to her rooms to grab the dog. She carried him to Neal's open door way and stepped inside. "Hey, Neal, do-" was all she was able to say when suddenly she was swarmed with chattering sparrows. They swarmed around her head, much like how they had when they had on the spidren hunt. She didn't have to feign her surprise.

"Crown, Freckle, everybody, stop that," Neal commanded. He watched her closely as the sparrows took off to sit on perches around the room, still cheeping happily. Only one lone sparrow used Kel's shoulder as a perch. The female leader of the flock, Crown. "Sorry about that," Neal said slowly, still scrutinizing her. "Your cousin used to take care of them until she was expelled a few months ago, now they come to me. They must know you to be a Mindelan." Kel was still wide eyed with shock; she didn't know how they, like Peachblossom, recognized her with her disguise. Neal's voice snapped her from her thoughts. "Mithros and the Goddess, that's an ungly dog!" He came over and started petting it. "You know we aren't allowed pets."

She shook her head. "I wasn't going to keep him. I happened upon him as I was coming back from the bathhouse. Neal, do you know someone who might take him?"

Neal nodded. "He looks like a stray," he said, running his hand over the dog's visible ribs. "I bet Daine the Wildmage would take him. She lives on the floor above the pages' classrooms, her name, Sarrasri, will be engraved on a plaque on the door."

"Would you come show me?" she asked.

Neal shook his head. "I can't stand to possibly see her with her lover." He sighed wistfully. "It's too much for my poor heart to bear."

Kel rolled her eyes at his dramatics. "Ok then," she told him as she turned to leave.

"Hey, are you joining us tonight for study group?" Neal asked.

She nodded. "I'll be right back after I take this fellow to the Wildmage." He just nodded and let her leave.

She climbed the stairs by the pages' classrooms up onto the second floor and made her way down the corridor, looking for the correct nameplate. She was starting to feel nervous as she walked. What if Daine had conversed with Peachblossom or the sparrows and knew her secret already? Would she keep quiet? She found the correct door and knocked, adjusting the dog in her arms to relieve the pins and needles she was feeling from carrying him.

The door opened and at first Kel couldn't see anyone, then a whistle brought her attention down towards the floor. Kitten the dragon was standing and looking at her with intent blue eyes. She had seen the dragon before from a distance but this was the first time she had seen her up close.

Kel knelt down to address her. "Why aren't you a pretty thing," she murmured. Kitten came forward to sniff her and the dog. "Is Daine here?" Kel asked her. She was told that dragons were as smart as humans, so it would only be polite to ask.

Kitten gave a trill and returned to her investigation of Kel and the dog. Soon a face framed by smoky brown curls came to the door. "Who is it, Kit?" she asked. When her eyes landed on Kel, she tilted her head. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Daine."

Kel rose to her feet and gave as much of a bow as her burden allowed. "I'm Kaden if it please my lady," Kel replied.

"How can I help you, Kaden?"

"I was coming back to the pages' wing after practice when I happened along this fellow," Kel explained. "We aren't allowed pets, so I was wondering if you might take him?"

Daine carefully took the dog from her arms and was silent for a moment. "I'll try to keep him, although I don't know if I'll be successful. He says his name is Jump."

Kel shook her head. "Name him as you wish, my lady. Thank you for your help." Kel bowed again and was about to turn to leave when Kitten gave another piercing whistle. Kel's bear claw pendent suddenly felt ice cold against her skin but quickly went back to normal. Kel, startled, looked up at Daine, wondering what had just happened and if her pendent was still working.

Daine's head was tilted and her brow furrowed as if she were piecing something together. Finally she said, "Thank you, Page Kaden, for bringing him to me. Come to me if you find any other animals in need of help."

Kel bowed again and quickly left before Daine could ask any questions.

Kel's heart was racing and panic was threatening to overwhelm her. She stopped in the stairwell to glance at her reflection in the glass window. Her hair was light brown, her eyes blue, and her nose was broad. It was still Kaden's face that she saw in the reflection. She let out a breath and when she made it to the first floor. She stopped to press her cheek against the cool stone wall. Did Daine know? She had to at least suspect something now. She would surely find out sooner or later. All it would take was one conversation with the sparrows or Peachblossom and her cover was blown.

"Well, what do we have here?" a cool voice asked. Kel opened her eyes and pushed off the wall she had been leaning on. Joren, Garvey, and Vinson were strolling down the hall towards her. "Ha! A Mindelan! My day is complete!" Joren cackled.

Garvey and Vinson flanked Joren and spread out to block her escape down the hall. She could only escape if she took the stairs back up to the teachers' rooms. She would have to stand her ground.

Her blood ran cold. No, she couldn't stand her ground. She had to keep up her act of inexperienced first year. She would have to let them beat her. She backed up against the wall, at least then they couldn't surround her.

The three boys formed a semi-circle around her, cutting her off her escape completely. "Normally, I would find an excuse to make you do some stupid errand and then beat you silly," Joren said smiling. "But thanks to your cousin, I'll skip the errand bit and jump straight to beating you silly."

Next thing Kel saw was Joren's fist head right for her face. She ducked and his fist connected with the stone wall instead. Joren cursed and craddled his injured hand. Vinson and Garvey jumped in and grabbed an arm each while aiming punches simultaneously. She couldn't throw them with out using her Yamani training. She tried to block and shield herself the best she could until Joren recovered enough to strike out his leg in a kick to her stomach. She promptly vomited her supper. She tried to make sure Joren got most of it.

Then she heard more voices and Kel felt Garvey and Vinson being pulled off of her. She looked up and saw Joren, Vinson, and Garvey scrambling away from Neal, Cleon, Esmond, Seaver, Merric, and Owen.

When the three bullies were out of sight, Neal immediately came to her side and held up a glowing hand. She knocked it away. "I'm fine. It's just bruises. You all came before they could really hurt me."

Neal shook his head and slung an arm over her shoulders. "I thought you were coming to study with us?" he asked her as he steered her down the hall. The other pages followed them.

"I was. I had just given the dog to the Wildmage and was on my way when they jumped me," she said looking down, embarrassed.

"Well it's a good thing we came looking for you," Neal said cheerfully.

"We only have two hours until lights out, can we please get some class work done?" Seaver complained. "I could really use your help with mathematics, Kaden. I still don't understand that battering ram problem."

Faleron chuckled before saying, "I swear, proficiency at mathematics must be a requirement to be a Mindelan." They all laughed the rest of the way to Neal's room where they settled down to study.


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you for reading/following/reviewing! I love watching the numbers of views and visits increase. I hope you all are enjoying ti so far. I have so much planned for this story, I can't wait to write it all.

This is an AU story, but I am trying to stay somewhat close to canon. There will be parts that will come directly from the POTS books themselves.

I am not Tamora Pierce. I don't own anything.

* * *

Nine weeks later, Kel found herself staring down the tilting lane, preparing herself for another run. She was still pretending to miss the target on the shield at every pass. It was slowly driving her crazy. However, Prosper managed to finally hit the quintain shield just right today so perhaps, in the next couple days, she could start to show some improvement as well.

Kel readied her lance and kicked Beauty into a gallop.

Her breath formed clouds in front of her mouth. The weather was rather warm for early November which was why they could be tilting so late into the year. Lord Wyldon dictated their training schedule based on what their enemies' movements would be. The chill in the air and the frost on the ground told Kel that true winter was just around the corner.

As the quintain came closer, Kel aimed her lance to clip the edge of the shield. That's when she felt her horse stumble underneath her. Beauty's controlled gallop faltered as her hooves slid on the churned mud of the tilting lane. Kel's breath caught in her throat as she felt Beauty start to fall. She quickly removed her left leg from the stirrup and was trying to free her right leg so she could jump out of the horse's way when she realized her foot was caught.

Kel watched as if she and Beauty were falling in slow motion. Beauty was doing everything she could to stay upright but it wasn't enough. Her flailing hooves unable to make purchase in the mud. Kel let out a cry when she felt the horse drop away from her and her world started tipping onto it's side. She let out another cry when Beauty came crashing down on her trapped right leg. Kel felt her head connect with the ground, hard enough to momentarily stun her.

Memories of the last few weeks flashed before her eyes.

The dog, Jump, had escaped Daine and found Kel the very next day. He had jumped through her open bottom shutters and right into her room. She had been impressed. Her window was a good four feet above the ground. She had made Gower take him back that day. However, every morning after for a week, no matter who took him back to Daine, he would find his way back to Kel in the morning and follow her for the rest of the day.

Eventually she stopped bothering to try taking him back and instead resigned herself to her companion. Neal had helped her smuggle Jump's large bag of kibble into her room and helped her hide it from Gower.

So her morning routine now included waking at the false dawn to feed the dog and open her shutters to allow him to escape before Gower came to bring her water and tend her fire. And her bed time routine now included opening her shutters to let Jump vault into her room, feed him, and go to bed.

She had also had a... discussion, of sorts, with the courtyard sparrows. She had explained to Crown that she had been forced to leave because she was a female and that she had come back disguised as a male. Crown had watched her with rapt attention as she explained that she didn't mind them visiting her, but they needed to be careful not to make people suspicious with their behavior. Crown then preened Kel's hair and flew to tell the rest of the flock Kel's wishes. There had been no greetings out of the ordinary after that.

There were a couple of times when Kel had caught Neal watching her closely and looking as if he were lost in thought. Kel made especially sure not to say or do anything to cause suspicion while she was around him. If he did suspect her, he never said anything.

"Kennan! Queenscove! Get him out from under that horse!" Wyldon bellowed. "King's Reach, fetch Stefan Groomsman and tell him a horse may have been injured."

Kel came out of her daze when she felt a pair of hands pulling on each of her arms, dragging her from underneath Beauty. She looked up at the worried faces of Cleon and Neal. Wyldon's bellowing hadn't even registered in her foggy thoughts.

Soon enough Wyldon's face floated into her vision above Neal and Cleon. "Queenscove, is anything broken or is he just in shock?" The training master spoke as briskly as ever but his frown gave away his concern. Neal's glowing green hand pressed itself to her forehead and Kel felt her headache start to recede and her mind clear.

Kel sat up and pushed Neal's hand away before he could get farther into his examination. "The only thing that hurts is my leg," she said, nodding to her right leg. "My foot got caught in my stirrup and pinned under Beauty." Neal moved his hands to rest on her right shin to continue his exam. Kel looked around and was glad to see Stefan getting Beauty upright, but frowned as she saw the horse was led away, limping.

Neal sat back on his heels and looked up at Wyldon. "He has a hair line fracture in the tibia as well as a sprained ankle and a slight concussion," Neal reported. "I would suggest taking him to the palace healers, sir."

Wyldon absently rubbed his arm. "Very well, Queenscove. Take him to the palace healers and get on to your next class. As for you," his eyes turned to Kel, "do as the healer tells you. If he says go to class, you go to class, understand?"

Kel nodded. "Yes, Lord Wyldon," she said as Neal helped her to her feet. He slung her arm over his shoulders and put his arm around her waist to support her.

"Very well then. You are dismissed." Wyldon turned back to the other pages to get class under way once again.

Kel and Neal's progress to the palace healers was slow. "Time was," Neal said as they hobbled on their way, "pages would ride ponies until they were twelve or so. But the Stump says that since knights ride horses, so do the pages. Father says that broken bones from riding accidents have quadrupled since Wyldon started as training master."

"Well then, it sounds like I'll be in good company," Kel said with grim good humor.

Neal just chuckled and they continued on their way in comfortable silence. When they reached the infirmary, Neal made sure Kel was laid comfortably on a cot and her presence known to the healer on duty before leaving for lunch.

Not long after Neal had left did Duke Baird move to sit on a stool he pulled up to her cot. The man shared Neal's nose and eyebrows, while his eyes were a shade darker than his son's. His hair had a red tint to it that his son's did not have. "Well," he said, clasping his hands in front of him. "Another horse versus page accident, I hear. Neal's already told me the extent of your injuries so I'll get to work on your leg. After that I want to take a look at your concussion and do one last quick check up before I release you."

"Yes, your grace," Kel said quietly.

"This will go quicker for both of us if you try not to fight me." Duke Baird laid his hands on Kel's leg and she felt his magic in her veins and muscles as an icy coolness.

Anxiety smothered her like a blanket. Another check up? She had been able to evade Neal's full exam, but there was nothing she could do to avoid Duke Baird's. _What if he realizes I'm not who I say I am?_ Kel wondered. _He's the Chief Royal Healer, surely he'd be duty bound to tell the king about me._

Kel let out a sigh of relief when her ankle and leg stopped radiating pain. Internally she shook her head. If old Nariko could see her now she would surely be telling Kel she was being weak.

Duke Baird moved his hands from Kel's leg to either side of her head. Neal had managed to clear her head of pain momentarily, but his father was able to banish the pain all together. Kel felt ashamed as she sighed in relief again. _Yamani Warriors were not weak_ , she told herself. _But I'm not a Yamani Warrior, I'm a Tortallan Page. And he would expect me to be relieved._

"Alright," Duke Baird said gently, "I'm just going to check your organs and bones to make sure nothing was missed. Then I want you to lie back and sleep off this healing before you go back to class."

"Yes, your grace," was all Kel could say through a yawn. She felt the healer's magic as a coolness that seeped into her chest. She was already drifting off to sleep in the little time it took the duke to finish his exam.

When Kel awoke a couple hours later, it took her a moment to remember where she was and why she was there. When her memory caught up to her, she sat upright on the cot startled. She looked around in panic, expecting an armed guard to be standing over her to escort her from the palace. She was infinitely relieved when the only person she saw was a woman dressed in the green robes of a novice healer.

The woman scuttled over to her. "Duke Baird said you are free to leave and go to class now," she said.

Kel rose from her cot. "Do you happen to know what time it is?"

"The third bell after mid day just rang a moment ago."

"Thank you, my lady," Kel said with a bow before she hurried out of the infirmary.

She let out a breath once she was out in the empty corridor. Either Duke Baird hadn't discovered her secret, or he had decided to keep her secret and not turn her in. Either way, her knees suddenly felt weak with relief as she walked to Sir Myles' class.

Kel was able to get through all of her afternoon classes, do her night and morning routine, and morning training with no ill effects from her ordeal the day before. When she approached the stables for riding class she found herself being addressed by Lord Wyldon and Stefan Groomsman.

"Mornin' Page Kaden. Good to see you and your feet again," Stefan said nodding at her.

She bowed to both men before replying, "Thank you Master Stefan. Is Beauty ok?" She couldn't hold back her curiosity and worry. When she had entered the stables, she had noticed the mare's stall was empty.

"No. She tore a ligament when she fell yesterday. Daine was able to heal it, but she says that she can't be ridden," Stefan informed her.

"Page Kaden, you'll have to ride another mount for the time being," said Wyldon. "When Beauty recovers you may go back to riding her if you wish. The choice will be yours."

Kel bowed again. "Thank you, my lord."

Wyldon nodded to her and went to supervise the other pages as they saddled their mounts.

"The thing that's tricky 'bout this is that the only spare horse we have at the moment is one who don't take too kindly to strangers," Stefan explained as he led the way to the horse's stall.

When they approached the stall door, Kel stood staring eye to eye with a strawberry roan gelding. She gulped. The horse's eyes were taking her in, assessing her. Finally, his assessment complete, Peachblossom snorted as if saying, What do you want?

"This here is Peachblossom. Daine taught him some words so you won't need to spur him," the hostler said and then gave Kel the list of verbal commands Daine had given her. She nodded along. He turned to the gelding once more and put his hands on either side of the horse's head. "Behave, Peachblossom," he said sternly. The horse gave a stubborn snort. "I mean it, Peachblossom. Behave." When the horse didn't respond, Stefan nodded and left.

Kel took a minute to collect herself before she tried to open the stall door. The moment she laid her hand on the latch, she had to pull it away to keep from being bit. She put her hands on her hips and glared at the horse. "Behave, Peachblossom," she copied the command Stefan had told the gelding. This time when she went to open the latch, Peachblossom let her.

He didn't try his next trick until Kel started to saddle him. As she was cinching the girth, she noticed that Peachblossom had swallowed a belly full of air to make himself wider around than he should be. Kel sighed and kneed him to get him to expel the air. She knew that trick, it was the first one he had ever used on her. He swung his head around to look at her, just as he had the first time. However, this time, the gelding blew a green wad of mucus onto her shirt.

"Yuck," she said in disgust. She glared at the horse again. He just turned his head back to the front. She saw a glint that looked like triumph in his eyes as he did.


	6. Chapter 6

Kel sighed as she sat in the stables cleaning Peachblossom's tack. It was Sunday afternoon and she wanted to go over her gear one last time before Wyldon inspects them the next day.

It had been two weeks since Beauty had gotten injured and Peachblossom still fought her tooth and hoof. On one hand she was grateful to the ornery gelding. He was doing a wonderful job of keeping her cover safe. After watching Kaden struggle with the horse, the boys agreed Peachblossom had it in for the page. Sure, Keladry struggled with the gelding as well, but not nearly as bad as Kaden.

No one guessed the reason for the horse's obstinate behavior was jealousy and revenge. No one that is, other than Kel and Stefan. Man and girl regularly tried explaining to the stubborn gelding exactly why Kel couldn't have visited him over the summer and why she didn't pick him at the beginning of training.

All their words and bribing efforts did nothing to soothe the beast's temper. Kel was able to foil most of his plots, but she routinely found herself dodging mucus and well aimed hooves and teeth. There had been a couple of instances where she hadn't moved out of the horse's reach in time and found herself nursing bruised arms, fingers, and feet. Neal took pity on her and healed the worst of them, while muttering under his breath about monster horses.

"Kaden? Are you in there?" Neal asked, sticking his head through the doorway.

 _Speaking of_ , Kel thought to herself. "Yes, I'm in here. Just cleaning Peachblossom's tack before Lord Wyldon's inspection," she replied.

"Good. I was hoping you'd be here. I brought someone who can help you with that horse of yours," Neal informed her as he strode through the opening and gestured for someone to follow him. "She actually helped Kel to reach an understanding with him too. Kaden of Mindelan, meet Daine Sarrasri. Daine, Kaden."

The woman who followed Neal into the stables was indeed Daine. Her shirt and breeches already covered in animal hair. Her curls tied out of her eyes with a leather thong. Her eyes fell onto Kel and she smiled. "We've met. You're the lad who brought Jump to me." She knelt to greet the dog in question who trotted over to say hello.

"Daine, you know how Kaden's horse, Beauty, was injured in that accident a couple weeks ago?" Neal asked when Kel just sat where she was, frozen.

Kel was fighting her feelings of rising panic. Neal was going to ask her to speak to Peachblossom again. If she did, Daine was going to find out exactly who she was, if she didn't know already. Her mouth went dry. She couldn't think of anyway to avoid what was about to happen.

"I do. I'm sorry for the bad news," Daine said sadly. "She'll be alright given time. She shows progress every day."

"Thank you for taking care of her," Kel was able to say through numb lips.

"Well, there was only one spare mount available," interrupted Neal. "You happen to know him quite well. Would you have a word with him and see if you could forge an understanding between him and Kaden? Peachblossom's been fighting him at every turn these past couple of weeks."

Daine nodded her understanding. "I'll have a word with him. But like I told Keladry, I can't change his nature," she said to Kel.

"He is who he is," Kel said and shrugged.

Daine's eyes lingered on her for a moment longer than Kel was comfortable with, before she turned and walked into Peachblossom's stall. _Damn my inability to keep my mouth shut._

The older girl ran her hands over Peachblossom, checking for aches and pains. Kel set the saddle aside and stood to watch the silent exchange. She knew the moment Peachblossom revealed her. Daine's eyes caught and held hers over the horse's back. She was silent as she finished her exam and left the stall. Daine came to stand before them, attempting to brush off the hairs on her shirt. "Neal, could I have a moment alone with Kaden?" she asked, still not looking at them.

Neal's eyes betrayed his curiosity, but he bowed to mask it. "Of course. I'll see you both another time," he said, flashing a warning look at Kel.

She internally rolled her eyes. _I'm not the one with the crush on her_ , she thought crossly to herself as she watched Neal leave the stables. _I'm not the one Master Numair needs to be wary of._

Daine waited a few more moments before she put her hands on her hips and faced Kel. "So, Kaden. Peachblossom's been telling me some very interesting things."

Kel waited, rigid with uncertainty. She was sure this woman knew who she was. However, she was unsure what she planned to do about it. Kel's mouth was dry and her palms were sweaty. She wiped them on her breeches.

"Among them, that he misses your cousin, Keladry. He even seems to believe that she's come back to train as a page again after she was dismissed." When Kel opened her mouth to explain herself, Daine raised a hand to stop her. "But since I haven't seen her, I can't comfirm this." Daine's eyes were sparkling with mischief.

Kel blinked at the woman.

"Peachblossom has agreed to give you the same courtesy as he gave Keladry. He says it gets tiring playing so many tricks on you, he'd be happy for the rest." Daine smiled warmly at her then started to walk towards the stable door. "Kit thinks your necklace is interesting, by the way. I might avoid her if I were you. She might decide to perform an experiment on it," she called over her shoulder, then left Kel alone in the stables.

When she was alone again, Kel leaned against Peachblossom's stall door for support. Her knees were shaking and she was close to collapsing. Daine wasn't going to tell anyone! Her secret was safe! She closed her eyes and let out the breath she had been holding. Peachblossom came forward and nuzzled her back tentatively. Kel turned and threw her arms around the gelding's neck. "I'm sorry. Truly. Please believe me. And thank you," she whispered to him, pushing back the tears that threatened to fall. He snorted in reply as if saying, I'm sorry too, but don't you go getting all girly on me.

She chuckled and gave the horse one last squeeze before she went back to cleaning Peachblossom's gear.


	7. Chapter 7

After receiving some feedback, I've decided to update this chapter. I completely agree that Kel doesn't seem like the right person to confront Joren. In my mind, Kaden (Kel) had been showing her leadership qualities to her classmates this whole time, but I know I haven't done a good job of showing that. Mostly because I'm trying to follow canon and right now in what was supposed to be Kel's second year, not a whole lot was happening. But after getting some feedback, I'm going to change it. Kaden will have his chance at leading come summer. ;)

The majority of this chapter should seem very familiar. I can't express how excited I am that this story is slowly but surely coming along! I hope you all are enjoying it!

I am not Tamora Pierce. I own nothing.

* * *

The afternoon before the feast that started the week-long holiday of Midwinter Festival, Kel checked her appearance in the mirror at least five times. Each time she turned away, she was convinced that her hair had gotten mussed, her crimson hose twisted, her crimson shirt bunched under her gold tunic. Only another look in the mirror would convince her that she was as neat and elegant as a page could be.

She was about to check her appearance for a sixth time when a knock sounded on the door. She opened it to admit Merric, Seaver, Esmond, Neal, and Owen, all in their best uniforms. Jump ran up to them in hopes of a game, then realized that they, like Kel, weren't wearing playing clothes. He sniffed each boy as he wagged a dejected tail, then lay down with a sigh.

"Reporting for inspection, general, sir!" barked Seaver as he gave a brisk salute. The boys promptly formed a line, saluted Kel in turn, then stood at attention.

All were nervous, even Owen, who would not work in the public hall but on the kitchen stairs with her, handing dishes from cooks to servers.

Kel put her hands on her hips. "What is this? Why did you all come to me?" she asked, mock indignant.

"You're always the best dressed of all of us. You have an eye for these things," replied Neal with a shrug.

"When it isn't black," Esmond murmured, and grinned.

Kel inspected Merric carefully. He was an inch or two shorter than she was these days, she realized. She tweaked his tunic a little straighter on his shoulders. Seaver's shirt collar was awry; she tugged until it showed brightly above his gold tunic. Esmond's clothes were perfect; Neal's hose had to be adjusted, and Kel gave him one of her drying cloths to blot the sweat from his face.

She gave Owen a sewing needle and crimson thread so he could repair a rip in his sleeve when Cleon burst in red-faced. "Kaden, I can't for the life of me get my hair to lay flat. How in the world do you manage it?" he began, then saw the other boys. Slowly he grinned.

"They said they're reporting for inspection," Kel explained. Fourteen year old Cleon was five inches taller than she; Kel dealt with that by climbing onto a chair. "Grab that basin of water and come here," she ordered him. With a comb and enough water, she got his hair in some kind of order.

She smiled at all of them as she stepped off the chair. "Well, come on," she urged them. "Let's get going."

The pages reported to the servers' room off the banquet hall, where Master Oakbridge waited. He was the palace master of ceremonies as well as the pages' etiquette teacher, a dried up, fussy man who lived to arrange banquets and decree who preceded whom in processions.

Once all of the pages had arrived, he gave them a careful going over, criticizing and correcting. Only when that was over did he show them the plan of the banquet hall, drawn in chalk on a black slate six feet tall.

They memorized their positions. Kel's post was at the top of the kitchen stairs. She would be with Owen and the other first years, passing dishes from kitchen staff to the serving pages.

Suddenly the pages heard the royal fanfare: the king and queen had taken their places. The servers gathered finger bowls and towels.

"Now," said Master Oakbridge.

Kel walked briskly to her post.

Trouble started after the second meat course.

Kel accepted a platter of meat-pork roasted in honey, apples, and cinnamon, from the smell-to hand to a serving page. Several of them, including Neal, were converging on her from the hall. She stepped just enough to the side that she could hand the plate to Neal first. His hands closed on it; he grinned at her and drew the plate away-and suddenly he was falling. Sauce flew everywhere as he hit the ground.

Kel stared at him. How could he fall? He wasn't clumsy; the floor was dry. The pages who had walked with him reached to help Neal up. The front of his tunic dripped sauce and grease; his shirt and hose, no less crimson than his face, were ruined as well. Kel eyed the other boys around him. Prince Roald had spots on his hose; so did the other two third year pages in that small group. The fifth boy was Garvey. He smirked at her and Neal alike, no spots whatsoever on his clothes. He had gotten out of the way in time, which argued that he knew that Neal would fall, because he had tripped him.

Master Oakbridge clutched his temples and demanded basins of cold water and napkins, so Roald and the two third years could wipe the spots from their hose. Garvey took a platter from Teron of Blythdin and returned to the banquet hall.

Master Oakbridge pointed to Teron. "You-take Nealan's station!" he barked. "Nealan, put an apron on and take his place!"

Neal, beet red with humiliation, did as he was told. Kel battled to put her fury with Garvey from her mind, trying vainly to imagine herself as a calm lake. During the third meat course, someone jostled Seaver from behind, making him spill wine on the head of the royal university. In the jam of boys in the serving area, someone hit Kel with an elbow, hard enough to bruise her eye. The young ladies waited on by Faleron whispered and giggled when he brought their food, as if they knew something ridiculous about him. No one had seen if another page had spoken with them, but Faleron told Kel they'd acted perfectly all right during the first two courses.

Now Kel knew why Joren and his cronies had been quiet for weeks. They had planned to embarrass Kel and her friends in the most public way possible. From her quick conversations with her friends, Kel learned they didn't suspect a plot-they blamed it all on bad luck. Serving at banquets was always a mess. This king and queen dined in state rarely, which meant the pages didn't get much experience waiting on people.

By the end of the evening, Master Oakbridge could hardly bring himself to look at his charges. Only when the diners had left and the last empty plates had been given to the servants did he speak to them. "You will all report to my classroom after lunch tomorrow. It seems you require practice."

The second night of the festival, Kel was sent to wait on a table of young, unmarried court ladies when Cleon had returned with fish scales on his tunic. She approached warily: this was the group that had made Faleron so uncomfortable. She stopped at the first lady's left side and served her a piece of venison.

The lady turned slightly as the conversation shifted. Kel had to remember to take a breath when she recognized her seventeen year old sister Adalia. _Stone. Be like stone_ , she told herself. Kel turned to serve the next lady, it was her sixteen year old sister Oranie. _Why do the Gods like to torture me?_ Luckily for Kel, neither of her sisters seemed to recognize her, and no one at the table cared to address her.

The girl seated next to Oranie leaned over. "So what happened to your page sister?" she inquired lazily, and snickered. "You know, I heard she's built along the lines of a cow. Did your father finally find an ox for her to raise calves with?"

Adie and Orie gave the older girl a look that promised trouble. Kel almost felt sorry for the lady-her older sisters could be quite inventive when it came to revenge.

Kel who was serving Oranie a piece of venison had to fight down a blush of humiliation. _They don't know it's you, keep calm_ , she ordered herself.

"And I can see why you're still unbetrothed at nineteen, big dowry and all, Doanna," said the young lady seated next to her. She wore her masses of crinkled black hair pinned under a gold net at the back of her head. Her delicate pink gown, set off by a white velvet surcoat, gave her creamy skin a rosy glow. "Your tongue has cut all your suitors away."

Kel's heart warmed as her sisters looked at the girl in pink and smiled. Moving down the line of young ladies, Kel served Doanna without looking at her. Kel then served her defender. The girl smiled and thanked Kel after being served. Kel bowed her head in reply.

When she came back with the next course and started to serve the ladies at her table, she felt someone bump into her. The next thing she felt was a scalding hot liquid running down her back. She stood up straight and bit her lip from shouting out. She quickly served the rest of the ladies and made a quick exit to grab the next dish.

When Kel got to the servers' room, she discovered she had been doused in soup. Master Oakbridge sighed and looked around frantically. "Jesslaw!" barked Master Oakbridge.

Owen's plump cheeks went as pale. With the air of a boy going to his doom, he came over. He quailed when the master of ceremonies ordered him to serve Kel's group. "Does it have to be girls?" he asked plaintively. "I'm scared of girls. I'd rather scrub pots if it's all the same, Master Oakbridge."

The man grabbed a tray ladden with bowls of soup and thrust it into Owen's hands. "Go!" he ordered.

Owen went as Kel took his place in the serving line. Another first year was sent out when Esmond of Nicoline, caught in a knot of pages and acrobats who were leaving the hall, collided with an armored warrior. The clatter was bad enough, but the man was caught off guard. He stumbled from his niche and fell over the hapless Esmond, knocking the wind from the boy.

"We still appear to have lessons to learn," Master Oakbridge told the pages grimly before he dismissed them. "My classroom, directly after lunch."

After the banquet the pages ate in silence. Kel was wondering if she could sleep right on the table when Merric growled, "I've had enough! I'm calling Joren out!"

Kel grabbed him as he began to rise. "No," she said flatly. "We are not going to brawl over Midwinter!"

"Why not?" hissed Owen. "They started it!"

"It's wrong!" replied Kel. "If we pick a fight, then we're just as bad as them. Combat should be used just to help people who can't defend themselves, period."

"Well, if I don't fight back and they pound on me, then I'm one of the people I should be defending," said Esmond.

Kel, still holding Merric, looked at him. "Did that even make sense?" she asked Esmond.

He smiled crookedly. "We have to stand up to them, Kaden. Otherwise they'll keep doing this to us," he said.

"It's not just that," Roald pointed out. "Midwinter is tiring enough without more etiquette training. They're making it hard for everybody."

"Perhaps you could exercise royal authority-?" suggested Neal carefully. Roald looked down, his mouth tight.

"You know he hates to call on royal privilege," Kel told Neal sternly. "He's trying to be the same as we are."

Roald shifted in his seat. "Thanks, Kaden, but I think Neal is right. I won't issue an order though, that would be abusing my station. But we need to do something, and I'll take point if I need to."

Kel stared at the table, thinking.

"All right. They gave up hazing the first years because there got to be too many of us to fight," Seaver pointed out. "Maybe we should do something like that to make them back off."

"How?" demanded Merric, relaxing in her grip at last.

Kel let go, now that he'd cooled down. "I bet we aren't the only ones who'd want to rest instead of practice bows and serving."

Neal leaned back until he could poke the closest page at the next table. "Hey, Yance!" he whispered. Yancen of Irenroha turned to face him. "Looking forward to more banquet service lessons tomorrow?"

Roald put his dishes away first. The other pages who did not belong to Joren's clique followed suit. Then he walked over to Joren's table with Neal and Cleon at his back and the others following them. Standing behind Joren, Roald waited, hands on hips, until he and the others realized they had company and looked at him.

When he was sure that he had everyone's attention, Roald said, "We've had enough accidents and extra hours with Master Oakbridge. It's got to stop."

"See here, you lot." Balduin of Disart belonged to neither Joren's group nor Kel's. Though only a third year, he was fourteen, having started his training at eleven, and he was big. His shoulders were broader than Cleon's; he topped Cleon by an inch. When he leaned in so Joren could see him, the smaller pages in front of him got out of the way. "I figured, if you wanted to waste time and strength on idiot squabbles with that girl and now with her cousin and friends, well, you were the ones who'd have to find more strength for the practice courts. But now you've let it cut into our free time. It seems to some of us that maybe they've had the right of it all along."

"Any more accidents, and we'll see if we can't make a few of our own happen," said one of the fourth years. "Something painful and lasting."

"Are you quite finished?" asked Joren quietly.

"No more accidents," said the prince.

"No more accidents," chorused the pages who stood around the table with him.

"Something harsh befalls the next one who causes things," promised Balduin.

"Make sure you can lock your doors and windows," added a fourth year.

The room went still. The pages who stood remained in their places, watching Joren and the others for some sign. Roald finally got tired of waiting. He leaned in until scant inches separated his nose from Joren's. "Are you hearing us now?" he asked softly.

He blinked, then raised his hand to cover a fake looking yawn. "I'm too tired to do anything but what my teachers order me," he said at last. "And you are just too rough and tumble to bear. We shall stop, but only because we are bored."

They would get nothing further, Roald knew. He moved out of Joren's way, allowing him to rise and go. The other pages streamed out the mess hall doors, many lost to a storm of very real yawns.

It isn't over, Kel thought as she bid her friends good night. We're just forcing them to be sneaky.

On the third night of the holiday, Kel was able to stay at her station on the stairs. No serving pages needed to be relieved that night.

Neal got her old place with the damsels. "Your cousins are well enough, nothing against them," he said when he sat down to supper with Kel. "But Uline of Hannalof-isn't she a beauty? And kind, too. She has the prettiest voice..." The rapt look in his eyes was the same as when he'd spoken of his hopeless love for Daine. "Skin like porcelain. And she's reading _Ethical Contrasts of the North_ _and South_. I told you about it-I read parts of it to you last week." He often shared his philosophical books with his friends, who ignored him. "Too bad I couldn't really discuss it with her."

"Sounds like you're in love," she commented softly, too tired to eat. "And I believe she isn't even betrothed."

Neal coughed nervously. "It's too early for me to think of such things. It's improper for a page to court anyone. You did like her, didn't you?" he asked, suddenly anxious. "You know I value your opinion, except on philosophy."

"That's because the philosophy you read me is silly," she told him, trying to sound as boyish as possible. "Yes, Lady Uline is very kind and she is very pretty."

"I think of her as luminescent," Neal said, dreamy-eyed. "When the candle light falls on her, she makes the light part of herself, and returns it."

"I'm off," said Kel. "Don't be up too late dreaming." She returned her tray to the servers and trudged back to her room.


	8. Chapter 8

For the new year, Lord Wyldon took them on a winter camping trip in February, which made no one happy. Only Kel's yearmates were foolish enough to let him hear their complaints. He gave them a blistering lecture about how knights weren't able to choose the conditions under which they traveled, while the other pages tried to pretend they were invisible.

Neal continued to sigh after Uline of Hannalof. Kel listened, and tried to sound sympathetic, and bit her tongue when she wanted to point out that he had said many of the same things about Daine the year before. She had to repeatedly remind herself that Kaden shouldn't know too much about Neal's infatuation with the Wildmage.

One night after the pages were supposed to be in bed, she joined their other friends outside Neal's window. They caterwauled the soppiest love ballad they knew while Jump howled accompaniment. When Neal threw open the shutters, only the hapless Cleon was too slow to avoid a bath as Neal dumped a water basin on him. For weeks after that, all one of them had to do was to hum part of that song, and the others would start to grin.

Spring came just as everyone was giving up hope. Even the forlorn tree in Kel's courtyard thrust out a crown of leaves. The sparrows abandoned Neal's room for the outside once more, setting tiny nests in the eaves around the courtyard. Jump proved to have a dismaying love of rolling in the mud. No matter how thickly he coated himself, Kel bathed him patiently until he was white again.

To Kel, this spring smelled of promise. The big and little examinations were coming; as long as she passed her exams she would be free of Joren, Vinson, Garvey, and Zahir. Sadly she would also lose Prince Roald and Cleon. Knights were already walking the pages' wing, inspecting the fourth years as possible squires. Most would be gone into service by the time the junior pages left for summer training. A handful always stayed until fall, when knights in the field could return and choose a squire.

Kel tried not to think about that. Her dream had been to act as the Lioness's squire, but she saw now that might not be wise. It seemed to Kel that some people might get suspicious if the Lioness took the cousin of The Girl as a squire. Did this mean Lady Alanna would not be able to make Kel her squire? Worse, if she couldn't take Kel, who would? She would have to tell her secret to whoever became her knight master; this was not something she could hide for four years from someone who she spent every waking moment with.

She put it from her mind. The big examinations were three years away. She had a lot of work to do before then, and worrying about things she had no control over would just drain her strength. She concentrated on studies, on exercises, and on keeping herself from strangling her friend whenever he started to moon and pine for Lady Uline.

Kel recognized some facts. Uline hadn't the slightest idea of Neal's feelings. The poems stayed in his desk, the gazes and melancholies in the pages' wing. When Kel urged Neal to send Uline a poem, he refused. "I'll enjoy my crush in private, thanks all the same," he told her ruefully. "I prefer that to finding out she and her friends giggle over my poor verses."

"I don't understand," Kel confided to Faleron the April night before the little examinations. "If he loves her, why doesn't he _do_ something? To her he's just another pair of scarlet arms and legs in a gold tunic. She'll never love him if he doesn't make himself known to her."

"Neal just likes being in love," Faleron remarked as they made their way back to the pages' wing from the palace tailors. Kel had to trade in her shirts and tunics in for longer sets, while Faleron decided to accompany her to see if one of the servants could mend a ripped seam in his hose. "If he puts himself forward and she rejects him, he'll feel the fool."

"I'd do something," grumbled Kel. "I'd _make_ her fall in love with me."

Faleron laughed. "You would, would you? You speak awfully big for a boy who avoids girls like the plague."

Kel winced. "Girls are gross and silly," Kel replied. She felt silly for saying so, but it was the explanation she had come up with should anyone confront her about her lack of crushes. She knew one day she would have to fake an interest in girls, but today thankfully was not that day.

Faleron just laughed harder. "Just you wait. You'll change your mind soon enough. And when you do, don't be surprised if the girls are lining up for the chance to catch your attention," he told her grinning. "I've overheard several young ladies sighing over you already. You're well on your way to having a reputation as a heart breaker."

Kel shook her head, red faced. She didn't mean for this to happen. She didn't want to break any hearts and she certainly didn't want the reputation. She hated the idea of leading any lady on, only to refuse her advances later. Not to mention that she flirted about as well as Peachblossom could dance. She cringed when she thought about how awkward kissing a girl would be.

Faleron saw her cringe and laughed again, misunderstanding her thoughts. He put an arm around her shoulders as they walked down the corridor. "Don't worry, it won't be as bad as you think it will. Just stick with me; I have plenty of tips to pass on to you."

That night, Kel dreamed of going to the platform to answer the judges' questions, only to find that she was naked. It left her grumpy. She skimped on morning exercises, washed and dressed, fed Jump, then made her way to the mess hall. Like Kel, her friends were nearly silent over breakfast.

Halfway through the meal, she felt a trickle of wetness in her loin cloth. What on _earth_? she thought, appalled. She was too old to wet herself like a baby. Besides, the little examinations didn't scare her that much! Crimson with humiliation and trying to hide it, she stood and put the last of her breakfast on her tray.

"Where are you going?" Neal mumbled, staring at her with bleary eyes. "We're to report to the examination room. We can't be late."

"I won't be late," Kel said tightly, feeling more wetness. Great Goddess, would it soak through her hose? Could everyone see it? "I'll only take a minute." She handed in her tray and raced back to her room.

Kel ducked into the dressing room and shut the door. Hurriedly she undid her points and rolled down her hose. If she'd wet herself, wouldn't she have noticed a feeling in her bladder? This had come from _nowhere_...

Blood was on her loincloth and inner thighs. She stared at it, thinking something dreadful was happening. Then she remembered several talks she'd had with her mother. This had to be her monthlies, the bleeding that told every girl she was ready to have babies if she wanted them.

"Of all times for it to happen," she muttered, wetting a cloth in her wash basin and scrubbing herself. "First these"-she meant her breasts. She had first noticed their appearance when cinching her corset tight had started to make her chest ache-"now this." She had a dull ache in her abdomen. Was that normal?

She finished scrubbing and waddled to the chest at the end of her bed. She tore strips of cloth from one of her shirts and stuffed them into the clean loincloth she pulled on. She would have to find a way to get linen pads. She tossed the cloth she had used to scrub herself into the fire place to burn. "Congratulations," Kel told herself, a bitter edge in her voice. "I've become a woman."

To her intense shame, tears began to roll down her cheeks. She put her face in her hands. Why was she crying? She never cried! Not when Peachblossom steps on her feet, not when those boys beat her black and blue. So why now?

She sniffled and dried her eyes. _I don't have time for this_ , she thought. _I have to get to the examinations_. She rummaged until she found a new pair of hose.

Someone banged loudly on the outer door. "Kaden, come on!" bellowed Neal. "We'll be late!"

"Neal, hold on," Kel shouted. "I have to fix something!" She struggled into both hose, then tied the points on her left side then went to do up the right. Before she was half done Neal banged on the door again. "Go without me!" Kel ordered.

" _No_! Come on!"

Points and hose tied, Kel struggled back into her slippers. She ran to the door and yanked it open.

Neal stood there, red faced with impatience, ready to knock again. "About time," he said. They trotted down the hall.

"Why are you in such a tearing hurry?" demanded Kel, stopping in the classroom wing to adjust the hose on one leg. "We'll get there."

"You don't understand," Neal said when they ran on. "If you're even a little bit late, the Stump makes you repeat the last year. He did it to two boys three years ago. And if you're _really_ late, you have to repeat _all four years_. Edmund of Rosemark, a year before I started, was that late. He refused to do four more years and went home."

"Why is he so hard on latecomers?" Kel asked.

"You know the Stump. He says tardiness in a knight costs lives."

"You could have gone without me," Kel reminded him. She stopped him. "Hair," she said and pointed. She helped him to make it lay flat.

Neal straightened her collar in a businesslike way. "I will _not_ repeat even the littlest bit of this happy experiment of mine, if that's all the same to you. And I should think you'd feel the same." They walked into the room together, to join the pages already there.

The tests Kel was to take this year were just as easy as the ones she had taken the year before. After Neal's worries that they'd be as much as a step behind Lord Wyldon, the tests themselves seemed like a let down. She was made to answer questions pertaining to class material she was expected to know as a first year. Then she had to show the basic combat training she ought to know. None of the examiners or audience members seemed to think she was worth any extra thought.

The next week, she and Neal watched the fourth year examinations in support of the prince and Cleon. These tests, the big exams, were longer and harder than those given to the third years, but again it was material the fourth years were expected to know. Everyone passed.

That night, the fourth year pages moved to the squires' side of the mess hall, to enthusiastic applause from their fellows. Kel, watching Joren, Vinson, Garvey, and Zahir walk away, heaved an internal sigh of relief. Things would be quieter in the pages' wing, of that she was certain.

More knights visited in May, watching the new squires in the practice courts, eating supper with Lord Wyldon as they looked over prospects. Kel had noticed them the year before, but had not much cared who had come. This year they would take people she knew. Lord Imrah of Legann, a bald, pockmarked man with a hawk's beak nose and pale, intelligent eyes, chose Prince Roald as his squire, to everyone's surprise. In the past the heir had always served his father; it seemed King Jonathan meant to do this as differently as he did everything else.

Kel also caught a glimpse of her second oldest brother, Inness, who visited for only a day, before he rode north to the Scanran border. He took Cleon with him. This made Kel's insides squirm. She didn't know what had or had not been said to her siblings and in-laws about what she was doing now. She made herself stop thinking about it. All she could hope was that George and her parents had it under control.

Zahir was chosen as squire by the king. Joren went east with Paxton of Nond. Garvey and Vinson, as well as five other new squires, remained in the palace while Lord Wyldon took the pages out to their summer camp.


	9. Chapter 9

The year before, the pages had camped in the Royal Forest. This year the training master took them south and east, into the hilly country that lay between Lake Tirragen and the River Drell. Part of Neal's sparrow company, eighteen birds in all, came along while the rest stayed at the palace. No one raised an eyebrow at the small birds' presence: they had followed the previous summer and had proved useful.

On their first morning away, Kel woke at her usual hour, before sunrise. Picking her way among the blanketed forms in search of the latrine, she froze. Jump was curled up beside Lord Wyldon. As if he knew she was goggling at him, the dog opened one eye, wagged his tail twice, and closed his eye again. What if Lord Wyldon suspected the dog was a pet, not just a friendly stray? She did some of the unarmed combat dances, combinations of punches, kicks, and rolls. They helped her burn off part of her fear that somehow Lord Wyldon would know Jump was hers and take the dog away.

At breakfast Neal was the first of her group to notice Lord Wyldon's companion. He choked.

"Queenscove, what is the matter with you?" asked Eda Bell.

Neal managed to point. "Dog."

Lord Wyldon looked at the companion to whom he'd been feeding strips of bacon. "This fellow's been hanging about the yards for months," he said calmly. "Evidently he's taken a liking to us. With Daine in residence, it seems few animals are shy about expressing themselves."

"Horses too," said Sergeant Ezeko. "Only reason I think my Dragonfly doesn't talk to me is because she thinks I'm not smart enough to understand her."

"I can't believe our dog's toadying to the Stump,"

Neal whispered to Kel and Owen as they washed dishes. "I thought Jump was better than that."

"I don't know," Kel remarked slowly. "It's hard to hate anyone who likes dogs as much as my lord does."

"Jump's smart. He knows if Lord Wyldon thinks he came to see _him_ , he won't send him back," Owen pointed out. "He would if Jump looked to be following one of us."

Whatever the dog's thoughts, he kept up as easily as the sparrows while the pages and teachers rode south. The trees of the Olorun Valley gave way to broad green fields, then to drier country. The riders skirted the edge of the Great Southern Desert, turning east. The Bazhir lived in the desert and made it their own. In the southeastern hill country, people had warred with the Bazhir for generations. Sometimes they chose to get extra income by raiding into Tusaine and Tyra as well.

"Don't get your hopes up," Lord Wyldon said when the subject of hillmen arose over their third night's campfire. "According to the local army commander, the area we're visiting had been scoured of bandits. You'll have to prove your courage against bears, hill lions, and the like."

They finally made camp just north of a tributary of the Drell, the River Hasteren. By then they'd been riding for ten days and were glad to stop for a while. Kel was particularly careful to look after Peachblossom. The heat was hard on the big gelding, though she couldn't say if it affected his mood. Peachblossom was always grumpy.

They camped by a small pond that was cupped between hills and fed by a lively stream. Last year there had been a wooden building for shelter for the pages and a stable for their mounts, though Kel and Eda had slept in the open. This year everyone either put up tents or slept under open sky. Even those who chose to sleep without shelter had to prove to Lord Wyldon they could set up their tents quickly and well. Kel had three tries before the training master was satisfied. Neal had ten.

"I hate tents," he grumbled as they went to gather firewood. "They smell funny and they weigh too much. I'd rather sleep under a tree."

"You may change your mind when dark comes," replied Kel, amused. "That's when the bugs will realize they don't have to go to the inn to dine."

They remained in that spot for a week. Game was scarce there. Lord Wyldon said he wanted to teach them, not spend teaching hours trying to feed them. They rode for a day and built a new camp.

The next morning Lord Wyldon sent groups out in different directions to map terrain and to hunt for supper, each with a senior page in command. Kel was in Faleron's company, along with Neal, Prosper of Tameran, Merric, Owen, and Seaver. Faleron, Merric, Neal, and Owen carried long bows; Kel and the others brought spears. If worse came to worst, they agreed, they could try spear fishing in the broad creek they followed. Jump came, sniffing along the ground. The sparrows spread out as humans and dog hiked, looking for new and tasty seeds in the brush.

The creek led them into a small, twisting valley edged on one side by sandstone cliffs. Owen was needling Neal over his latest poem when Faleron had had enough. "Hush," he ordered. "You want to scare off all the game?"

Being quiet as they headed into the valley saved their lives. Three hundred yards along, when they rounded a bend in the cliff wall, the pages found a raider camp. Had they been making noise, the outlaws would have been ready. As it was, Faleron gestured frantically for the pages to back up, but too late. A mangy dog howled the alarm; Jump snarled in answer. The hillmen, who'd been napping, scrambled to their feet.

"Run!" yelled Faleron.

They were a hundred feet down the valley when they heard the pounding of hooves. The bandits rode into view on ugly, rugged horses who looked every bit as mean as their masters. They swept out and around the pages, cutting off their escape route. Jump raced into the fray. He leaped and fastened his jaws on a rider's arm, his weight pulling the man from the saddle. The horse reared, panicked by its master's fall. Two men swerved to avoid them and collided, going down in a tangle of screaming horses. The sparrows arrived, chattering in rage as they flew into the raiders' faces, attacking their eyes.

"Jump, come!" screamed Kel. "Faleron, orders?"

Faleron stared at the riders; his eyes flicked from those on the right to those on the left, uncertain. Kel turned to Neal as the oldest. He was as bewildered as Faleron. Kel looked at the others. Merric, Seaver, and Owen were staring at Faleron.

They had to act-the hillmen were closing in. "Neal, Prosper!" she yelled, naming the two with magical Gifts. "Blind 'em, hide us, confuse 'em, _now_! Bows! One shot, aim for the horses, then fall behind the spears!" She got her spear up and leveled it at the enemy as Neal blinked and shed his paralysis. Green fire poured from his hands, spreading in streams through the air. It bent and rippled, veiling the pages enough that the enemy couldn't see them to target them. Prosper, their other mage, stared blankly at his spear. Kel grabbed it and yelled, " _Now_!"

Light flared in front of Prosper, white edged with blue. It would blind anyone looking at him, or the people near him, briefly. " _Bows_ ," shouted Kel again as Jump scrambled through the dust to reach her.

Faleron, Merric, and Owen set arrows to their strings and loosed as Kel glanced behind them. There was the cliff wall, just twenty feet to their rear. "Fall back to the cliff, bows and mages first, then spears!" she cried. "Who's got the horn?"

"Me," said Faleron, coughing from the dust. He took a swig from his water bottle, spat, and blew the alarm call, then set another arrow on his bowstring.

Beyond the shifting haze of green and white lights that veiled them, Kel saw the hillmen draw back a little. Four of their number were down, maybe dead-three in the pileup Jump had caused, one with an arrow in his throat. Others were rubbing their eyes, flailing at the attacking sparrows, or squinting as they tried to see the pages' exact location. Most were still mounted, except for one man who'd jumped clear of his arrow shot horse. All were wary.

A pair of bony and scarred dogs crept forward, bellies to the ground. The magic veils affected them less. Jump snarled a challenge.

"Stay with _me_ ," Kel ordered him softly. To her unmoving friends she hissed, " _Fall back_! Bows and mages first. Get against the cliff-archers, be ready to shoot!" This time they obeyed, Faleron pausing only long enough to blow the alarm call again. Kel whispered, "You'll take command?" when he lowered the horn.

Faleron shook his head. "You've got the cool head, Kaden," he replied, then fell back with the other archers, Neal, and Prosper. Once they reached the cliff, Kel and Seaver backed up, spears lowered. Spears would keep the bandits at a distance if they chose to ride blindly through the magic; Kel's archers could shoot easily if they were rushed. She doubted the stalemate could last, however. Through fading magic she saw that the hillmen were stringing bows they had grabbed in the rush. Once they learned the magical barriers couldn't stop arrows, the pages were in trouble.

"Neal and Prosper, magic again. Hold it awhile!" she whispered.

Green streamers rolled out of Neal, growing wider, forming scarves that moved in the air. Prosper again released a white blaze; how he kept the pages from being as blinded as the raiders Kel had no idea. From their lessons in the use of visible magic, she knew that he and Neal had obscured the area around them for about sixty feet. She could see that the squinting raiders had shifted to form a half circle around them at a distance of about seventy feet. For all the enemy knew, the pages could be anywhere behind that curtain of moving light. Her brain raced: When would help come? Were they even within hearing distance of the camp? They had lost track of how far they had gone.

"Kaden, we're at the cliff!" hissed Seaver.

She looked back. Now they had protection at their backs, but it was not much. Peering through the fiery shields again, Kel counted twenty three raiders and gnawed her lip. The odds were bad. What she wouldn't give for mages other than a healer and a light bringer! But they were what she had. She didn't like to think how much of Neal's and Prosper's strength was going into those screens.

Luckily for the pages, the raiders had no leader to coordinate their attacks and make them more dangerous. Just as good, they seemed to have no mages.

"Archers, get ready," she said calmly. Now she and Seaver were at the cliff. Beyond the magics she heard the bandits arguing over their next move. Somewhere nearby she heard the low growl of the raider dogs and the sparrows' furious chatter. She sent a quick prayer up that her small friends wouldn't get hurt.

Her people needed cover for more than just their backs, _now_ , while they had a moment to look for it. She scanned the ground to her left. All that lay between them and the bend in the valley where this had started was tumbles of small rocks lower than her waist. No help there, she thought grimly. She looked right, beyond Faleron, and blinked. Was that a trail?

Her eyes followed a narrow track as it rose along the cliff face. It looked to be a goat trail, too narrow for horses. About forty five feet up, she saw a dark opening in the stone-a cave, perhaps, a hollow at least. Something more than they had here. The trail went past the cave, but that wasn't a problem. They could hold both ends of the track from there, even if the raiders came down it from above.

She swallowed hard. To defend it, they would have to get to it. They would have to climb.

Kel was thinking at lightening speed. How to do this? If help didn't come soon, someone would get hurt-the odds were too great. They would need a healer then. Neal had to stop wasting magic to hide them from view.

All her thought came to her in a moment. "Faleron," she whispered, and pointed to the trail. Everyone looked; Faleron nodded. "Just to that cave. You first, then Neal. Neal as soon as you're there, switch to archery. You're going to need your Gift." He opened his mouth to argue; Kel looked at Merric. "You next, then Seaver, Prosper, then Owen. Archers, cover us. Prosper, ease off the continuous light. When a lot of them move in, give 'em a light burst, but only then." She glanced at the enemy through the veils of light; she saw three of them venture forward, "Now go! I'll bring up the rear!"

They could see the horsemen who had found the courage to advance through Neal's fading light veils. Owen coolly shot one. The arrow lodged in his mount's shoulder and the pain stricken animal reared, trying to shake off its rider. As the man fought for control, colliding with his neighbors, the pages raced for the trail and began to climb. Prosper held onto his magic as Kel had bid him, waiting for the bandits to approach. Halfway up the slope, first Merric, then Owen, got off fresh shots.

Kel looked up the trail, gulped, then ordered, "Jump, come." She backed up, keeping both spears lowered and ready.

The two raider dogs were closing in, hackles up. Jump snarled, then attacked the bigger dog.

"Jump!" Kel cried, running to save him. She felt, rather than saw, the second dog leap for her. Lashing out with the spear's butt, she caught the animal lengthwise, knocking it ten feet into a tumble of stones.

She heard yelling and looked up. Three raiders galloped straight at her, swords raised. Two arrows took the one farthest to the right. Sparrows swirled around the middle bandit, darting at his eyes. He screamed, clapping his hands to his face; without direction, his horse spun, panicked.

Kel focused on the man bearing down on her. She barely noted a fresh light burst or the arrows shot by the archers on the narrow path, which forced the other bandits to keep back. The enemy coming at her raised a short, curved sword. She saw he would be unable to touch her until he was directly alongside. Kel dropped her extra spear out of her way, making sure she wouldn't trip on it. She brought her other spear point down by her right calf, holding it in the glaive position broom sweeps clean. The hillman was almost on her, just five yards, now two-

She stepped forward, to the right of the charging raider, and brought the spear up in a firm, sweeping movement. The leaf shaped blade, razor sharp, cut deep into the man's leg before Kel had to dodge the downward sweep of his sword. The man turned his horse and came back at Kel. This time she drove her spear through his belly, where it lodged.

Kel scooped up her other spear just as an arrow streaked over her head. Suddenly she felt a track of numbness, then of sharp pain, as a second arrow grazed her outer thigh.

"Drat," she said, wincing. She yelled, "Jump, come!"

Jump, his foe dead, raced up the narrow path. Kel followed, spear out, as more bandits galloped forward. She was ten feet up when they reached the cliff and saw they could not ride after her. One raised his bow, sighting on Kel with a rotted tooth grin.

White light blazed around her: Prosper's work. The men at the foot of the trail threw up their hands to shield their eyes. Kel backed up, sweating and trembling over the height, not the graze on her thigh. She couldn't watch her feet, as she did when she had to climb stairs. She had to focus on the men at the bottom of the trail, which meant seeing how narrow the path was, and how far she would fall before she hit the ground. That distance only got larger as she carefully sidled upward.

Two raiders dismounted. They meant to follow: their swords were out, their eyes locked on her. She halted and turned to block the trail. Hands steady, she lowered her spear. Her Yamani training helped her to barely contain her fear of the drop just inches from her right foot. Jump walked between her spread legs to stand before her, growling. His muzzle was crimson with blood, a sight guaranteed to make the men think twice.

Then the sparrows arrived, attacking the foe. The bandits yelled and backed off, trying to protect their faces.

"Jump, go _now_ ," Kel ordered. The dog ran between her legs and on up the trail. Kel pulled her right foot back from the drop, sweat running down her face. If I don't move, they'll shoot me full of arrows right here, and then I'll _really_ fall, she told herself. She turned to sidle up the trail, her back against the rock, her eyes on her feet. Two more bursts of light kept the bandits milling and half blind.

Kel didn't even know she'd reached their refuge until the boys pulled her inside. The sparrows followed, chattering as they found perches on the pages. Off the path, Kel's head cleared. She looked at her friends. Merric was down, an arrow in his left shoulder. Neal crouched beside him, stopping the flow of blood from the wound with his magic.

"What happened?" she asked Faleron.

"They got him when he shot at the ones that were coming after you," he replied, white faced.

Neal looked up. "It's missed anything vital-Kaden, you're hurt!"

"Stay with Merric," she snapped. "It's just a graze."

She went to the front of the cave. Seaver was lookout; he lay flat to peer over the ledge. Prosper was beside him, also staying low. He looked exhausted.

"Let up for a bit, Prosper," Kel told him. "Eat something. And thanks." Prosper nodded and crawled away from the opening. He dug into his belt purse for the dried meat and fruit Lord Wyldon made them carry when they left the palace.

Keeping under cover, Kel had a look outside. The raiders were working up their courage, arguing as they approached the trail that led to the pages' sanctuary. Kel retreated into the cave, using her dagger to hack strips from the hem of her shirt. When she had enough to make a bandage, she tied it firmly around the graze in her leg.

"How many arrows have we got?" she demanded.

The archers counted. The answer was not bad, but not good either. "From now on, pick your shots," she told them. "Think twice before you do shoot. Faleron, did you blow the horn while I was out there?"

He gave her a shaky grin. "Of course. I take it you were thinking of other things."

Kel smiled ruefully. "I believe I was. Crown?"

While Faleron went to the opening and sounded the distress call yet again, the single spot female sparrow flew over to perch on Kel's hand. There was red on her beak and tiny claws, and a war like gleam in her round black eyes. "Crown, it may be they can't hear the horn, back at camp," Kel explained. "Will you fetch help?"

Crown peeped. Away she flew, two males and a female with her.

"Next time maybe we should bring paper and ink," suggested Owen. "They could carry messages."

Kel went over to crouch beside Merric and Neal. "All this noise you're making, I can't think," she teased the red headed boy gently.

Merric smiled tightly at her. Normally pale skinned, now he was so white that his freckles looked like paint on wax. Sweat rolled down his face. "We're in enough of a spot without me yelling," he said tightly. "Besides, it's not so bad. Neal stopped most of the ouch."

"Can you do more than stop the ouch?" Kel whispered to Neal.

He shook his head, shamefaced. "I don't have the training," he replied.

"But you can heal," she began.

"Within limits. I was to start learning about arrow, knife, and sword wounds this year, if I'd stayed."

Kel shook her head. "You should get proper training!" she said indignantly.

Neal made a face. "When?" he wanted to know. "Most people either go for knight or for healer, not both."

Kel began to argue, then closed her mouth. The hurt that showed in his eyes for just a moment made her feel like a brute. "Sorry, Neal," she said ruefully.

"That's all right." He smiled crookedly. "Gods know I keep thinking I was crack brained to leave the university."

"But if you hadn't, I'd be a lot worse off now," Merric reminded him. "I like you right where you are, thanks."

Kel gripped Neal's shoulder in another, silent apology, and went back to the entrance. "Why don't you rest in back?" she suggested to Seaver. "I'll spell you for a time." He nodded and passed his bow to her. Kel took his position, lying flat so only the top of her head showed when she peered out. Looking gave her the sweats, but she made herself do it. She had to know if the outlaws would give up, or keep coming. Right now they seemed to be arguing, but a couple looked at the trail as if they were of a mind to climb it.

 _Go ahead_ , she thought coldly. _You won't get far_.

Two did try. Kel shot one man in the collarbone-it was hard to sight from this awkward angle. Owen, who had come to watch beside her, rose on his knees and shot the second man through the eye. An arrow soared over his head just as he lay flat again. As Kel scolded him for making a target of himself, she heard the sound of horses at the gallop. It was the entire company of pages and teachers, armed for battle, with Lord Wyldon in the lead.

The raiders fled.

Kel sent the unwounded pages down to Lord Wyldon, then helped the two Shangs improvise a stretcher and lower Merric to the ground. She followed Neal out of the cave and onto the path down the cliff face.

She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to think herself stone, then opened her eyes and followed in Neal's wake. At least this time she didn't have to negotiate the path while keeping anyone below in view. She kept her eyes focused on the back of his feet as they slowly made their way down the trail.

At last she was down. Peachblossom and Jump both nuzzled her. She had sweat clean through her shirt but thankfully she didn't feel like she was about to throw up. No one needed to know Kaden was terrified of heights.

She stood, wiping her face on her sleeve. She watched as Lord Wyldon came over to her hunting party. "What happened here?" he asked gruffly. When no one ventured a comment he continued. "Someone report," he demanded.

"Sir, we were cornered by bandits. Kaden's the one who saved our bacon. Sir," he added, in case he wasn't sufficiently polite. "He killed that man and gave us time to reach safety." He pointed to the raider who lay nearby, Kel's spear in his belly.

 _I wish he hadn't reminded me_ , Kel thought. She unhooked her canteen from her belt with trembling fingers, unstoppered it, and poured water over her head. She also took several gulps to wet her parched tongue.

Faleron spoke up. "We might be dead but for Kaden, my lord. I froze when they came at us. Kaden's the one with the cool head. He found that cave when we all thought we were trapped."

The other members of their hunting party chorused their agreement.

Lord Wyldon's mare shifted on her feet, as if she reflected her master's uncertainty. Finally Wyldon said, "We'll take Merric to the army post for treatment and shift our camp there. I want a word with the district commander"-Kel had the feeling that word would not be 'blessings'-"and then I expect a report from each of you. Page Kaden?"

"Sir?" she asked, looking at him. It was impossible to tell what he thought; his clean carved face was emotionless.

"Mount up," Lord Wyldon ordered.

Kel looked at Peachblossom, who wore only a halter. There hadn't been time to saddle him before they left camp, she realized. Wyldon had simply taken the horses of the missing pages to keep them from being stolen while they were away.

She led the gelding to a stone and climbed onto his broad back. "Try not to spill me," she whispered. "You're slippery."

His ears flicked back and forward in acknowledgment. He did seem careful not to dump her as Lord Wyldon gave the command to ride out. He also didn't object as those sparrows who couldn't fit on Kel or Neal settled onto his mane.

Looking at them, Kel recalled how valiantly the birds had fought. Were any hurt or dead? She did a count and sighed with relief. Eighteen sparrows had come south with them. Eighteen rode with them now.

As they rode out of the little valley, Kel realized it was her twelfth birthday.

Owen rode up beside her, keeping a watchful eye on Peachblossom. "Are you all right?" he asked, his gray eyes worried. "It was a jolly fight, except for you and Merric getting hurt and us not knowing if we would die and all."

Kel looked at him for a moment, startled, then shook her head in admiration. "It won't bother you that we left dead men back there."

"Never a bit," he said cheerfully. "They were bandits. I _hate_ bandits. They killed my mother. I'm going to be a knight and hunt bandits for real. You could hunt 'em with me," he offered with a generous smile. "With you and me at the job, there won't be a bandit in the country in ten years."


	10. Chapter 10

The healer at the army outpost was able to patch Merric up and to teach Neal a few new tricks. Neal had time to master them as the pages spent the remainder of the summer camp at the outpost, housed in one of the barracks. Lord Wyldon made sure that they helped the captain, who had claimed the district was cleared of bandits, to actually do the work. It wasn't as jolly, as Owen put it, as the valley fight. The pages were carefully watched and never allowed to be anything but backup archers and scouts. They were paired with soldiers, who made them keep quiet and out of the way.

Kel agreed with Owen, bandits should be caught and taken before the law. Still, she also saw the poverty in their camps. Only the best fighters owned shirts without holes; their children were naked, hollow eyed, and big bellied with hunger. Despite the rivers and lakes in the area, the pages were told, this was the second year of a drought. Farmers who couldn't pay their rent were thrown off their farms. Many thought banditry was the only way to feed their families, but their victims were as poor as they. There were no easy answers, and Kel was glad to ride north and put it out her mind for the time being.

Whatever Lord Wyldon thought of her taking command in the Battle of the Cliff, as her friends had named it, he kept it to himself. Those who thought they could tease the pages who had let a first year take over were corrected in a series of quick, quiet fights. Kel told her friends they weren't doing her any favors by settling matters that way; her friends ignored her.

On their arrival to Corus, they disbanded for two months. Kel and Jump went to Kel's parents' house in the city, which they and the house servants had to themselves. She made sure to keep her necklace on: she didn't want anyone she knew see her when she was rumored to be back in the Yamani Isles. Kel's parents, Adie, and Oranie were away on the summer visits paid by nobility, particularly when nobility had daughters to marry off. Kel did get to spend the last two weeks of September with them when they returned. There was no mistaking her parents' pride-Eda Bell, it seemed, had written to tell them what their nephew had done over the summer.

They took Kel to supper at one of the city's finest eating houses to honor her. She had to go as Kaden, but it was nice to spend some time catching up with her parents. Over the meal they got the tale of the fight and its aftermath from Kel, listening intently and embracing her at its end. They also drew the events of Kel's second year from her, asking questions that showed a great deal of interest. She only left out two major occurrences, and those she told her mother as her father left their private parlor to settle the bill.

Ilane smoothed Kel's hair with a gentle hand. _It needs cutting again_ , Kel noted. Alanna's pendent changes the color of her hair but does nothing to the length. "My poor dear! Breasts and monthlies in the same year, and you not even twelve. Was it very upsetting?"

Kel nodded. "I don't _need_ 'em, Mama. All they do is get in the way," she pointed out. "I'm not looking to have babies, ever."

"I don't recall the gods ever asking women if we want these things," her mother pointed out.

Kel sighed. "No, I suppose not. How old were you when all that happened?"

"I didn't start monthlies until I was fourteen-the healer told Mama it was because I was such a bean pole. Mama said she wasn't much of a healer." Ilane smiled at the memory. Kel did, too: her grandmother would not let anyone speak ill of her children.

"I didn't have much of a bosom until I got pregnant," Ilane went on. "Your sister Patricine, though, she developed at twelve." As Kel's father returned, Ilane added, "Remember-you may be able to do so, but no one can force you to have babies. You do have a choice in these things. I'll get you a charm to ward off pregnancy until you are ready for it."

"Ready for what?" asked Baron Piers, holding the parlor door for his wife and daughter. Kel and Ilane shook their heads, and changed the subject.

After two quiet months in the city, Kel's return to her palace rooms was like coming home. Even though she had visited her sparrows and Peachblossom everyday, and trained in the practice courts, it was still good to settle in at the pages' wing. After she finished unpacking, Kel flung herself on the bed with a happy sigh.

At that moment Owen peered in through the open door. "Kaden, you're back!" Running down the hall, he yelled, "He's here already!"

Kel chuckled to herself as Owen raced back with two boys, first years, in tow. "Say, Kaden, will my lord let me sponsor my cousins? One of my cousins? This is Iden of Vikison Lake, and Warric of Mandash. They're both my cousins. This is the jolly boy I told you about, Kaden of Mindelan."

Kel rose and bowed, trying not to grin at Owen's tumbling chatter.

Neal drawled from the doorway, "It's your own fault for encouraging him, you know. Now he thinks he's a human being."

Owen threw himself at Neal. They tussled briefly before they found seats.

"I was thinking maybe I could sponsor Iden and you could sponsor Warric, Kaden," Owen suggested, tipping his chair back until it leaned against the wall.

"Of course I'll sponsor Warric," Kel said.

Boys continued to drop by over the course of the afternoon: Seaver, Esmond, Merric, Faleron (a glorious fourth year now), Prosper. Yancen of Irenroha even stopped in. Faleron disappeared, and returned bearing a basket of pastries and a pitcher of juice. The pages welcomed him with cheers. _Boys_ , Kel thought to herself, mentally shaking her head, _were always hungry_.

Once everyone had dispersed and cleaned up for dinner, the pages joined Lord Wyldon in the hall outside, to choose sponsors for the newcomers. Owen took Iden, as he had threatened. Kel picked Warric without hesitation.

Then came supper, and Lord Wyldon's speech advising all of them to enjoy their last day of freedom. Afterward Neal remembered that his harness was at the leatherworkers still. He'd dropped it off a week before, to have it let out-and now was a good time to retrieve it. "I might not have another free hour for months," he said to Kel.

"Warric and I will come with you," she replied as they stood to bring their trays to the servers. "It'll give me a chance to show Warric around."

They were cutting through the palace grounds, when they saw a nobleman with a sheaf of papers in his hand. He was tall, heavyset, and pale skinned even at the end of summer, with brown hair that continually flopped into his eyes. Kel recognized Sir Gareth the Younger, the king's closest adviser and friend.

In his turn, he seemed to know their station if not their names. "You're pages, aren't you?" he asked, brown eyes alert.

Kel bowed. Warric followed her lead and bowed as well

"Yes sir," Neal replied after straightening from his bow.

"Wonderful. Would one of you take this to the king for me?" He handed over a sheet of paper to Neal. "He's scrying at the top of Balor's Needle. Don't be nervous," he added, misunderstanding the look on Kel's face. "He isn't doing anything that can't be interrupted."

Kel and Warric bowed again.

"Right away, sir," Neal replied also with a bow.

Sir Gareth left without saying anything else to them.

Neal turned to Kel and held out the paper. "Would you mind running this errand?" he asked her. "I have to get to the leatherworkers before they leave for the day and Warric isn't going to know how to get there."

Damn Neal and his logical thinking. _He wouldn't ask me to do this if he knew it was me,_ Kel thought to herself as she took the paper from him. "Could you take Warric with you then and show him how to make it back to the pages' wing?"

"Of course," Neal responded slinging an arm around the first year's shoulders. He started guiding Warric away. "We'll see you later, Kaden. This way, Warric."

Wiping sweat from her forehead, she forced herself to turn and walk steadily down the path. Balor's Needle was an architectural marvel, soaring a hundred feet over the palace roofs. Sightseers, mages, and astronomers went there because it lifted them clear of magical residues and ordinary smokes from palace and town, granting them a view of the entire valley where Corus lay. From there mages could scry, or see, places and other mages at a distance; powerful mages could actually speak to their colleagues.

She walked into the courtyard before the tower entrance. There were two ways up. One was an iron outer stair, which twined around the tower on the outside, with no walls to protect the climber. People on dares and would be suicides went that way. The outer stair was a beautiful thing, decorative iron wrought in lacy shapes and far stronger than it looked. Kel would admire it only at a distance. She went through the open doors in the base and found the inner stair. It was the twin of the one outside, except that it wound in the opposite direction. There was a magical reason for that, something to do with balancing forces, but Kel couldn't remember what it was.

Like the outdoor stair, this one sported only a thin railing between the climber and open space. All of the inner tower was hollow. Light came from an immense candle and crystal chandelier fifty feet up: servants changed the candles by lowering it. Kel stared at the chandelier, transfixed, then forced herself to look at the stair.

 _I can do this_ , she told herself, folding and refolding Sir Gareth's message. _Of course I can! It's a stair. I'll just keep my eyes on the steps and the wall. It'll be easier than the climb to that cave, when I had to watch those bandits._

For all her brave thoughts, it was the knowledge that this message was for the king that got her moving. Gritting her teeth so hard she could hear them creak, Kel stepped onto the inner stair. Slowly, doggedly, she began to climb.

Like the outer stairs, these were ornamental iron, wrought in the shape of flowers. If she looked down, she saw the gaps in the steps, and open air below. A couple of mistakes showed Kel that her best course was to focus on the corner where stair met wall. When she halted to rest-she was in good shape, but the stair was steep and seemingly endless-she did so with her eyes closed.

After what felt like years, she stepped onto a level wooden floor, blessedly solid underfoot. She walked through open doors and onto a stone platform. The way to the outer stair was an opening in the platform beside the door-Kel looked quickly away from it and wiped sweat from her face. The wind that blustered up here made it feel cold on her skin.

"Yes?" The king had heard her arrive: he left the waist high railing to walk over to her. "What is it?" As Kel straightened from her bow and the king saw her face, he smiled. "It's Kaden of Mindelan, isn't it? I've been hearing about you, young man."

She murmured the polite phrase, "Your majesty is kind to remember me."

"Is there a message? Though I see you're not in uniform yet."

"My lord Gareth of Naxen knew me for a page, sire." She handed the message over. The wind whipped at it. The king gripped the paper tightly and called a ball of light from the air so he could read. The sun had just set, and natural light was fading quickly.

Kel looked around. She could stare across distances if she didn't look down. At such times she felt no fear, only appreciation of the beauty before her. Ahead lay the hills that separated the capital from Port Caynn. Still, steady glows of light identified houses and inns. Moving globes would be the lanterns of travelers. Darker masses in the growing twilight were groves of trees and the Royal Forest itself. It was like a tapestry of the land at dusk, if anyone had cared enough about only light and shadow to weave such a thing.

"This could have waited until morning," the king remarked dryly, tucking the paper into his belt purse. "That's Gary, though-never put off what can be done right now. This is for you," he added, offering a coin to Kel. "For your courtesy. There is no return message."

Kel thanked him and bowed, tucking the coin in her pocket. She turned to go, and stopped. The opening to the outer stair was just a foot to her left. The stair itself fell away so steeply that Kel could see rooftops below. Her ears buzzed; her head swam. She forced herself to take a step, then another, until she passed through the open doors. Inside, the first thing she saw was the great hollow space on the other side of the platform. Dizziness overcame her. She backed up against the wall by the door and clung to it, trying to tear her eyes from the chandelier's streams of light.

 _This is ridiculous_ , she told herself repeatedly. _You climbed up and down trees. You climbed down from the cave. Just look where the stair meets the wall. Stop goggling at the space, look at the wall! You're going to count to three and take a step. One, two, three._

Some how her paralyzed legs started to move. Her eyes darted to where the stair met the wall. She silently counted the stairs as she descended, trying to keep her mind from that agonizingly long drop on the other side of the metal railing. Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen _._ Her shaky knees were making it hard to keep her balance. She took deep breaths, reminding herself that it was perfectly fine to move slowly, as long as she was moving. Finally she was on the ground once again. She looked up the hollow cavern of the tower and let out a breath of relief.

 _What if I froze like that someday with people in my care?_ She thought darkly. _I could get them killed, because I can't control myself. I'll just have to find a way to over come it._

Thoroughly depressed, she reached the pages' wing and saw that her door was open. She heard her friends' voices. Kel straightened her tunic and tried to rub color into ice pale cheeks. She wouldn't say anything about this.

Somehow she got through the next day-showing Warric around-and the day after that, when the training commenced. Fighting practice helped-with a new piece of equipment, her harness, she barely had the strength to think about her weapons and her horse. She nearly dozed off in afternoon classes.

That night the king came to supper as he did every year to look them over and talk to them briefly. He dined with Lord Wyldon on the dais, then urged the pages to pursue their studies and train hard. In years before, he had left the mess hall before the pages could even rise to bow to him. This year he did not. He waited until they were on their feet, then said, "Might I see Kaden of Mindelan? The rest of you may go."

Kel felt her skin go numb. This was it, she realized. He had some how found out she was a fraud and she was about to be dismissed. Blindly, leaving her tray on the table, she walked to the dais. Jump followed, tail wagging. When she reached the dais, Lord Wyldon and the king were seated. Their page-Yancen, Kel noted-had cleared away everything but a pitcher and three cups, which Lord Wyldon was filling. As Kel bowed to the men, the king raised his brows.

"Pages weren't allowed pets in my day," he commented. "Have a seat, Kaden." He waved her to an empty chair. Kel looked at Lord Wyldon, startled.

He gave her the tiniest of nods and told King Jonathan, "The dog's not a pet, sire-he's a palace stray who attached himself to the pages. I see no harm, if he doesn't distract them. He earned his way several times over during the incident I told you of."

While Lord Wyldon talked, Kel eased herself into the empty chair. Surely if they were going to dismiss her, she ought to be standing. Her nervousness grew when Lord Wyldon put one of the cups before her. It contained grape juice with a touch of spice in it, she discovered as she sipped. She had to grip it with both hands to keep the men from seeing that she trembled.

The king was gently tugging Jump's lone ear, a trick the dog loved. "Yes, that incident. Page Kaden, Lord Wyldon told me what passed this summer between your group and the bandits. I would like to hear the story from your own lips, if you would." The king leaned back in his chair, his very blue eyes on Kel's face. "You were a hunting party, I believe?"

"Just as you told it to me," murmured Lord Wyldon.

She didn't disobey, exactly. She did neglect to mention that the older boys had been too surprised to make the instant decisions that would mean their survival. She told it as if they all had agreed on their course of action-which they had, given a moment to think. Of course Lord Wyldon knew differently. They hadn't even thought to check each other's stories until he'd already talked to Faleron and Neal at the army post. Perhaps the king suspected the truth, too, but he said nothing while she spoke of those frenzied moments on the ground, and the scramble to reach and defend the cave until help could arrive.

When she was done, the king shook his head. "Amazing." He bent to scratch Jump's head: the dog had gone to sleep, his chin on the king's foot. "Certainly you earned all the table scraps you can eat for the rest of your life, eh, boy?" Jump's tail beat lazily on the floor.

Kel was afraid to look up, afraid that this was when her secret would be revealed, afraid this was the moment when he would send her away once again. Instead the king told her, "I admire someone who can keep a cool head in a situation like that. Keep up the good work."

She knew a dismissal when she heard it-and this was not the dismissal she had expected. In her rush to get to her feet, she almost knocked her chair over. Somehow she managed to bow and leave the mess hall without tripping.

Her friends waited outside.

"What did he want?" demanded Neal. "You were in there forever!"

Kel sagged against the wall. "He wanted to hear about the fight, about how we handled those bandits."

"Gods," mumbled Faleron, covering his face.

"I told him how you led us to the cave, and kept blowing the horn for help," Kel said, hoping he wouldn't be offended. "And how Neal and Prosper made it hard to see us, and what we all did in the fight. Then he told me I could go."

"Better you than me," commented Merric, shaking his head. "Talking to royalty makes me sweat. We'd better get to that book Master Yayin gave us if we're to read the first chapter by morning."

"There's something I don't understand," remarked Seaver as they headed down the hall. "Why assign a book about a war fought two hundred years ago?" His confusion was understandable. Master Yayin always gave them books that were literature, reports, poetry, or histories in which battles were seldom mentioned. The pages were certain that the changes in their teaching were made only for the most sinister motives.

Neal drew to the rear of the pack and pulled Kel aside as the others turned into the pages' wing. "So why do _you_ think we've been assigned a book about old battles?"

"You mean there has to be a reason for the masters to give us hard work?" she retorted. "I thought that was their idea of fun."

Yayin's change to the type of reading that Owen classified as "jolly" was not the only difference in how they were taught that fall. The next evening, as the pages and a handful of squires finished supper, Lord Wyldon stepped up to the podium.

"I would like to announce a change in our present schedule. Sunday nights, during the first bell after supper, I wish the fourth year pages to report here. We will explore combat tactics-how to use ground to your advantage in the positioning of troops, which types of weapon achieve certain effects in battle, and so on." He held up a hand; the pages stifled their groans. "This is not a course on which you will receive marks; it is required only for the fourth years, though any other pages or even squires who wish to attend will be welcome. Sunday evening, the first bell after supper. You are dismissed."

"As if we _needed_ more studies," Seaver grumbled to Prosper.

Neal ran his fingers through his hair, thinking. "Well?" Kel asked him. "I want to go, at least to see what it's like."

"I think I'd like to go, too," he replied, surprising her. "Wonder why they're doing this? Usually they leave that kind of teaching for knight masters and squires. Of course, the army has an actual school for officers, to teach battle tactics and strategy."

"Tactics _and_ strategy? I thought they were the same thing," Kel commented.

Neal shook his head, a comma of hair flipping into his eyes.

"Tactics is what you did with those bandits. It's immediate planning for the immediate problem. Strategy is the long view, the movement of armies and a plan that covers an entire battle or war." Seeing her inquiring look, Neal grinned, shamefaced. "My mother's father was one of old King Jasson's generals. He used to tell me about their battles, and all the things that went wrong."

Owen drifted back to walk with them. "Things go wrong?" he asked, startled.

"Grandfather Emry said once the battle starts, _everything_ goes wrong," Neal told him. "You plan strategy and tactics ahead so they won't go as wrong as they could."

"Your grandfather was Emry of Haryse?" cried Owen, delighted. "He's a hero!"

"Yes," Neal said dryly, making a face, "I know."

Sunday night came. Faleron attended the new class-as a fourth year he had to. Neal, Kel, Owen, Merric, and Esmond went out of curiosity. They found something totally different from their other lessons. Lord Wyldon had servants set up a model on a table: it showed the city of Port Legann during the climatic battle of the Immortals War. Metal figures shaped like soldiers, knights, immortals, ships, and catapults were placed to show the positions of each. Daine and the king were there, too. They explained how troops were employed, and asked the pages to suggest why certain types of soldiery had been put in one spot and not another. They learned that Daine had seen the area around the city, mapping enemy positions from dragonback. The thought of flying made Kel feel sick, but she could see that Daine's work had given the Tortallans a tremendous advantage.

The next bell rang too soon. Some pages complained and would have stayed, but Lord Wyldon asked them if they had completed their classwork. By then enough assignments had gone half done that only Neal had no extra work; they were sent back to their rooms to study.

"Boring," announced Merric with a yawn as they left the mess hall. "I can put the time to better use." Kel shook her head. How could anyone describe the lesson as boring? She would have been happy if it had gone on all night.

Kel was still preoccupied by the battle of Port Legann during her dawn exercise. Would it have been different if relief forces from the Copper Isles had beat the queen's army to the city? "Oh drat." The first bell of the day began to ring. She looked around and found her weighted harness lying on her bed. Kel looked at it and sighed. She still wasn't used to the new weight it added. Most of the other pages didn't put theirs on until after breakfast. Couldn't she wait until then just today?

One day leads to another, she told herself wearily. Next thing you know, the boys will get used to it first, and I won't be able to keep up. She picked up the harness and let its weight slide over her shoulders.


	11. Chapter 11

Thank you all for reading this story! I really appreciate all the encouraging comments. This is where things start to get interesting!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers. I'm thankful for all of you. I'm thankful for my husband and my family and their encouragement. I'm thankful for being able to live comfortably and in safety. I pray that this holiday season finds all of you well and fills you with joy.

I would think it's common knowledge now, but once again, I am not Tamora Pierce and I don't own anything.

* * *

The next night Kel was in line for supper when she saw more faces at the squires' tables. The number of squires who lived on the floor above the pages' wing had been growing slowly as autumn went on. Kel barely knew those who had come in before, but tonight she recognized two faces: Cleon and Garvey.

"One good, one bad," Merric remarked from behind Kel.

"Do I have to close my eyes to guess which?" Owen wanted to know.

When they went to their usual table, Cleon walked over. "It's about time," Neal said when the redheaded squire slid onto the bench next to him. "We thought they would leave you in the north all winter. You would have come back as an icicle."

"A really _big_ icicle," added Seaver. A chorus of laughter erupted from the pages and squire.

It was then that Lord Wyldon entered the mess hall and demanded quiet. This was Cleon's signal to make his way back to the squires' tables. He found them all in the library studying after dinner. He sighed as he sat across from Kel at the table. "I completely forgot that Sir Myles asked for reports while we're out with our knightmasters. I only finished half of it."

Neal suddenly smacked his hand to his forehead. "And I forgot that Sir Inness is your knightmaster," he explained. "Did you see Kel while you were at Mindelan?"

"Or heard from her at all?" asked Faleron. "She hasn't responded to any of our letters. She hasn't even written a single letter to Kaden either."

Kel sat still on her bench and tried to look relaxed. On the inside her stomach was twisting in knots while she waited for Cleon to answer.

Cleon shook his head dejectedly. "She left for the Yamani Islands months ago."

"But her parents stayed here to help the Yamani ambassador renegotiate a marriage for Roald," Neal pointed out.

"She's staying with family friends in the islands and continuing her training there." Cleon shrugged when he continued, "Apparently she's training to become one of the Emperor's elite. I doubt she'll be returning anytime soon if ever. At least that's what Inness was told from the Baron and Baroness; none of her brothers saw her before she left." Silence followed his words as the pages returned their attention back to their studies.

Kel felt the tension in her belly start to settle. It seemed as if her family thought she was indeed in the Islands and were spreading the word. She looked at Neal out of the corner of her eye. He was staring at his book while running his hand through his hair. His usually smiling eyes were sad. She felt terrible for keeping this secret from everyone, especially him. Of all her friends she wished she could tell Neal the most. Sure Neal and Kaden were good friends, but they weren't as close as Neal and Kel were. She missed the close friendship they once shared.

If Kel was completely honest with herself, she missed being herself. After a year and a half of pretending to be someone she wasn't, she was starting to lose pieces of herself. Her Yamani was rusty, and she was finding it difficult to remember the glaive pattern dances she used to know. Her emotionless Yamani mask had been twisted into a mask of emotion; hiding her thoughts and feelings behind a mask of a completely different emotion. There were even times when she forgot she was a girl.

It was times like these when Kel had to remind herself of why she was doing this. She was going to become a knight. She was going to help people who can't help themselves.

Kel looked at the book in front of her. She had been reading the same line over and over for the past few minutes. Sighing she closed the book and gathered her books, quills, and parchment. She left the library and made her way to her room to grab clean clothes. Then she left for the baths.

When she arrived, Kel scouted out an empty private bathing chamber and closed the curtain behind her. She wasted no time stripping off her clothes yet careful to keep her necklace on. The first thing she did was wash her corset in the tub of clean water. When that was done and sitting next to her clean clothes, Kel submerged herself into the tub.

She didn't dare sit and enjoy the warm water for long. There was always a chance someone could walk in on her. She quickly washed her body then lathered her hair with the soap that was provided. She ducked her head in the water to rinse out the suds.

It was while she had her head under water that she didn't hear a voice asking if the chamber was occupied. The man walked into the bath chamber, closing the curtain behind him when Kel emerged sputtering. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize..." the man started to say then suddenly stopped. Kel immediately tried to hide her body from view, covering her chest with her arms. She blinked the water from her eyes and looked at the intruder. She looked up into familiar emerald eyes.

Neal stood just inside the curtain, clutching his change of clothes. His eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging open in shock. There was no mistaking that he had glimpsed her chest and could guess what was hidden beneath the water and dirty soap. "K-Kaden?"

Kel's cheeks were flushed red with embarrassment. "Not now, Neal." Of course he would try to demand an explanation here when she was barely able to conceal herself. He made no move to turn and leave. "Neal, out!" she finally snapped at him.

Her command seemed to shake him from his shock. His cheeks burned furiously and he left the chamber without another word.

Kel put her hot face into her hands. What was she going to do? He had obviously seen her breasts and even Owen was smart enough to know what that meant. Kel knew he wouldn't let this rest until he received a plausible justification. Could she make up a story that would explain her chest without revealing herself to him? She doubted it.

Even if she could construct a believable story, Neal deserved to know the truth. He had doggedly asked her for word of Kel for a year and a half now. She had seen the difference in his attitude and behavior and knew that it was because he was missing his best friend. No. Kel would only tell him the truth.

She exited the tub and started to towel herself dry. Her stomach was clenching again. She was trying to keep her breathing steady as she felt panic start to swamp her. The thought of telling Neal scared her. Not because she was afraid he would turn her in; she was scared of how angry he was going to be. When he was angry enough, Neal didn't seem to care who got hurt. Kel wouldn't be surprised if he threw a couple of punches.

She dressed herself and exited the chamber. Neal wasn't waiting for her. She quickly made her escape and walked back to her room.

She wasn't surprised when Neal let himself into her room without knocking and closed the door behind him, not even a bell later. He stood just inside the door with his arms crossed over his chest. Their eyes met and an uncomfortable silence stretched between them.

He shifted his weight from foot to foot and ran his hand through his damp locks. "I'm not going to leave until you give me an adequate explanation, so you might as well start talking," he said with barely controlled anger.

She looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "Why don't you come sit, Neal," she said at last, patting the bed next to her."

He shook his head. "I'm fine standing. Speak," he demanded.

Kel tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. She knew she would have to explain herself, but she couldn't find the words. She rubbed her temples as she thought, trying to remind herself to be calm.

Neal had started to pace the length of her room while she had tried to get her tongue to form coherent sentences. "Obviously you know that I saw...you...in the bath." His cheeks went red again as he spoke. "I am sorry for invading your privacy, by the way. It wasn't intentional. But you have to understand the confusion I'm feeling now. And the anger. My best friend was sent home because she was deemed too weak to keep up with us boys; and now all of a sudden I find out that you're-you're not who you appear to be." He stopped pacing and stood in front of her, his hands on his hips and watching her intently. "I won't turn you in to the Stump, if that's what you're afraid of. But I do think you owe me an explanation now."

Kel nodded and looked up to see the turmoil in his green eyes. She fingered the bear claw under her shirt. "My name isn't Kaden," she said finally. "I'm not Kel's cousin. Please don't be upset with me." She untucked her necklace from her shirt and slipped it over her head. She handed it to Neal who took it and started inspecting it.

Neal's eyes weren't on her. He was turning the claw over in his fingers then reached for it with his gift. He yelped and almost dropped the pendant in surprise. "It's full of extremely strong concealment spells," he mused aloud.

When he finally did look up at Kel, he did drop the necklace. His face drained of color and his mouth hung open in surprise again. Kel stood and quickly manuvered Neal into a chair before he fell over. His eyes never left her face. "Kel?" he asked, incredulous.

All Kel could do was nod. Her mouth had gone as dry as parchment. She was waiting for his fists to start flying or his tongue to start lashing. What she didn't expect was Neal leaping to his feet and enveloping her in a tight embrace. He pushed her away, hands holding her shoulders, to get a closer look at her face. Then she was encircled in his arms yet again.

Kel also didn't expect Neal to start laughing. She looked up at him with furrowed brows. He smiled down at her. "Here we all are, mourning our friend who was unfairly dismissed, and somehow she manages to hide in plain sight right under our noses." Neal released her and stood with a goofy grin spreading on his face. "Just imagine what the Stump's face will look like when you finally reveal yourself. You're one of his favorite students!" He doubled over, holding his stomach as he shook with laughter. "So that's why you've been avoiding all those girls! Mithros!"

Kel scowled and gently cuffed the back of his head. "Get yourself under control, Neal," she said sternly. Neal stood straight but his grin was still plastered on his face. More gently she ventured, "You still won't tell Lord Wyldon, will you?"

Neal's grin faded and he shook his head. "Absolutely not," he said seriously. His eyes focused on hers intently. "Not a soul will learn your secret from me."

This time Kel hugged him. "Thank you," she whispered. "I hope you're not too mad at me."

Neal chuckled. The deep sound echoed in his chest and Kel felt herself smile. She couldn't help but notice that Neal smelled like old parchment, even after bathing. "No, I'm not mad at you. I completely understand, dear girl." Kel released her grip and stepped back to see him smiling gently at her. He teasingly tugged on a lock off her hair. "I can't wait to hear your whole story someday. How you managed to enroll and develop cover stories, I mean. Am I correct in assuming you want your accomplices kept secret?" Kel nodded in answer to his question. She trusted Neal implicitly, but she still remembered the old Yamani proverb: You need never unsay what you didn't say in the first place. She wasn't ready to reveal who she was getting help from. "In the meantime, you can count on me to help in any way I can."

"Thank you, Neal," Kel said again.

"You're welcome." He bent to grab the necklace from the floor and placed it around her neck. He watched this time as Kel's features blurred then cleared to reveal Kaden's face in front of him. He shook his head, chuckling softly. "I still can't believe you managed to hide under my nose for over a year." It was then that the bell announcing lights out rang from overhead. "I'll see you tomorrow, Kel," Neal said by way of goodbye. He ruffled her hair, like he always did, before walking to her door. He paused with his hand on the handle when he smiled over his shoulder at her. "I knew you'd keep fighting. I knew you'd keep your promise." With that said he left her rooms.


End file.
